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terinary  Medicine 
Cum  oi  of  Veterinary  Medicine  at 

Tuft.  sity 

200  Westboro  Road 
North  Grafton,  MA  01536 


THE    MASTER    OF    GAME 


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THE  MASTER  OF  GAME 

BY  EDWARD,  SECOND  DUKE  OF 
YORK  :  THE  OLDEST  ENGLISH 
BOOK  ON  HUNTING  :  EDITED  BY 
WM.  A.  and  F.  BAILLIE-GROHMAN 
WITH  A  FOREWORD  BYTHEODORE 
ROOSEVELT 


LONDON 
CHATTO  &  WINDUS 

MCMIX 


Eâ5 


All  rights  reserved 


CONTENTS 


CHAI'.  PAGE 

xi 


Introduction 

Foreword  to  the  First  Edition  . 

I.   The  Prologue  .... 

II.   Of  the  Hare  and  of  her  Nature 

III.  Of  the  Hart  and  his  Nature 

IV.  Of  the  Buck  and  of  his  Nature. 
V.   Of  the  Roe  and  of  his  Nature   . 


VI.    Of  the  Wild  Boar  and  of  his  Nature      46 


VII.   Of  the  Wolf  and  of  his  Nature 

VIII.   Of  the  Fox  and  of  his  Nature    . 

IX.   Of    the    Grey    (Badger)    and    of    his 
Nature 

X.   Of  the  (Wild)  Cat  and  its  Nature 

XI.   The  Otter  and  his  Nature  . 

XII.   Of  the  Manner  and  Habits  and  Con 
ditions  of  Hounds  . 


XIX 

1 
14 
23 
38 
41 


54 

64 

68 
70 
72 

75 


XIII.   Of  Sicknesses  of  Hounds  and  of  their 

Corruptions      .....       85 


vi  CONTENTS 

CHAP.  PAGE 

XIV.   Of    Running   Hounds    and    of    their 

Nature 105 

XV.   Of  Greyhounds  and  of  their  Nature  113 

XVI.   Of  Alauntes  and  of  their  Nature    .  116 

XVII.   Of  Spaniels  and  of  their  Nature     .  119 

XVIII.   Of  the  Mastiff  and  of  his  Nature  .  122 

XIX.   What     Manner     and     Condition     a 

Good  Hunter  should  have  .        .     123 

XX.  How  the  Kennel  for  the  Hounds 
and  the  Couples  for  the  Raches 
and  the  Ropes  for  the  Lymer 
should  be  made      .         .        .        .125 

XXI.   How  the  Hounds  should  be  led  out 

TO    SCOMBRE 127 

XXIL    How    a    Hunter's    Horn    should    be 

Driven 128 

XXIII.  How  a  Man  should  lead  his  Groom 

in   Quest   for    to   know   a   Hart 

by  his  Trace 130 

XXIV.  How   a  Man   should    know   a   Great 

Hart  by  the  Fumes       .        .         «133 

XXV.  How  a  Man  should  know  a  Great 
Hart  by  the  Place  where  he 
hath  Frayed  his  Head  .         .     135 


CONTENTS  vii 

CHAP.  PAGE 

XXVI.  How  the  Ordinance  should  be  made 
for  the  Hart  Hunting  byStrength 
and  how  the  Hart  should  be 
Harboured 148 

XXVII.    How  a   Hunter  should  go  in  Quest 

by  the  Sight  .....     152 

XXVIII.  How  an  Hunter  should  go  in  Quest 
between  the  plains  and  the 
Wood 154 

XXIX.    How  a  Hunter  should  go  in  Quest 
,    in  the  Coppice   and   the  Young 
Wood 155 

XXX.    How  an  Hunter  should  go  in  Quest 

in  Great  Coverts  and  Strengths     156 

XXXI.    How    a    Hunter    should    Quest    in 

Clear  Spires  and  High  Wood      .     157 

XXXII.   How    a    Good    Hunter    shall    go    in 

Quest  to  hear  the  Harts  Bellow     161 

XXXIII.  How    the   Assembly   that   Men    call 

Gathering  should  be  made  both 
Winter  and  Summer  after  the 
guise  of  beyond  the  Sea       .        .163 

XXXIV.  How    the    Hart    should    be    moved 

with  the  Lymer  and  Run  to  and 
Slain  with  Strength     .         .         .165 


viii  CONTENTS 

CHAP.  PAGE 

XXXV.  How  an  Hunter  should  Seek  and 
Find  the  Hare  with  Running 
Hounds  and  Slay  her  with 
Strength  .....     1S1 

XXXVI.  Of  the  Ordinance  and  the  Manner 
of  Hunting  when  the  King  will 
Hunt  in  Forests  or  in  Parks 
for  the  Hart  with  Bows  and 
Greyhounds  and  Stable        .         .     188 

Appendix 201 

List  of   some  Books   Consulted   and 

Abbreviations  used  in  Text        .     268 

Glossary 282 

Index 299 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Fox  Hunting  "  Above  Ground  "  Frontispiece 

Gaston      Phœbus      surrounded      by 

Huntsmen  and  Hounds      .         .  To  face  page       i 

The  Hare  and  her  Leverets  .  „  14 

How    to    Quest    for    the    Hart    in 

Woods „  22 

Buck-hunting  with  Running  Hounds  ,,  38 

Roebuck-hunting  with    Greyhounds 

and  Running  Hounds  ,,  44 

Badger-drawing  ....  „  68 

Otter-hunting   .....  ,,  72 

How  the  Hounds  were  Led  Out     .  ,,  86 

Raches  or  Running  Hounds  in  the 

Fifteenth  Century     ...  ,,  106 

The  Smooth  and  the  Rough-coated 

Greyhounds         .         .         .         .  ,,  114 

The    Five    Breeds    of    Hounds    de- 
scribed in  the  Text  .         .         .  „  122 

The  Kennel  and  Kennelmen    .         .  ,,  126 


x  ILLUSTRATIONS 

The  Master  Teaching  his  Huntsman 
how  to  Quest  for  the  Hart 
with  the  Limer  or  Trackhound  To  face  page   130 

How  a  great  Hart  is  to  be  known 

by  his  "Fumes"  (Excrements)  .  ,,  134 

How  the   Hunter  should  view  the 

Hart „  152 

How    to    Quest    for    the    Hart    in 

Coverts „  164 

Hare-hunting      with      Greyhounds 

and  Running  Hounds         .         .  „  182 

Hare-driving  with  Low  Bells  .  „  184 

Netting  Hares  in  their  "Muses"  .  „  186 

The  "  Undoing  "  or  Gralloching  of 
the  Hart:  the  Master  Instruct- 
ing his  Hunters  how  it  is  Done  „  192 

Hart-hunting  with  Greyhounds  and 

Raches ,,  196 

The  "  Curée  "  or  Rewarding  of  the 

Hounds „  198 

Shooting  Hares  with  Blunt  Bolts  .  ,,  220 


INTRODUCTION 

The  "  Master  of  Game  "  is  the  oldest  as  well  as 
the  most  important  work  on  the  chase  in  the 
English  language  that  has  come  down  to  us  from 
the  Middle  Ages. 

Written  between  the  years  1406  and  141 3  by 
Edward  III.'s  grandson  Edward,  second  Duke  of 
York,  our  author  will  be  known  to  every  reader 
of  Shakespeare's  "  Richard  II.,"  for  he  is  no  other 
than  the  arch  traitor  Duke  of  Aumarle,  previously 
Earl  of  Rutland,  who,  according  to  some  historians, 
after  having  been  an  accomplice  in  the  murder  of 
his  uncle  Gloucester,  carried  in  his  own  hand  on 
a  pole  the  head  of  his  brother-in-law.  The 
student  of  history,  on  the  other  hand,  cannot 
forget  that  this  turbulent  Plantagenet  was  the 
gallant  leader  of  England's  vanguard  at  Agin- 
court,  where  he  was  one  of  the  great  nobles  who 
purchased  with  their  lives  what  was  probably  the 
most  glorious  victory  ever  vouchsafed  to  English 
arms. 

He  tells  us  in  his  Prologue,  in  which  he  dedi- 
cates his  "  litel  symple  book  "  to  Henry,  eldest 


xii  INTRODUCTION 

son  of  his  cousin  Henry  IV.,  "  Kyng  of  Jngelond 
and  of  Fraunce,"  that  he  is  the  Master  of  Game 
at  the  latter's  court. 

Let  it  at  once  be  said  that  the  greater  part  of 
the  book  before  us  is  not  the  original  work  of 
Edward  of  York,  but  a  careful  and  almost  literal 
translation  from  what  is  indisputably  the  most 
famous  hunting  book  of  all  times,  i.e.  Count 
Gaston  de  Foix's  Livre  de  Chasse ',  or,  as  author  and 
book  are  often  called,  Gaston  Phœbus,  so  named 
because  the  author,  who  was  a  kinsman  of  the 
Plantagenets,  and  who  reigned  over  two  princi- 
palities in  southern  France  and  northern  Spain, 
was  renowned  for  his  manly  beauty  and  golden 
hair.  It  is  he  of  whom  Froissart  has  to  tell  us  so 
much  that  is  quaint  and  interesting  in  his  inimit- 
able chronicle.  La  Chasse,  as  Gaston  de  Foix  tells 
us  in  his  preface,  was  commenced  on  May  I,  1387, 
and  as  he  came  to  his  end  on  a  bear  hunt  not 
much  more  than  four  years  later,  it  is  very  likely 
that  his  youthful  Plantagenet  kinsman,  our  author, 
often  met  him  during  his  prolonged  residence  in 
Aquitaine,  of  which,  later  on,  he  became  the 
Governor. 

Fortunately  for  us,  the  enforced  leisure  which 
the  Duke  of  York  enjoyed  while  imprisoned  in 
Pevensey  Castle  for  his  traitorous  connection  with 
the  plots  of  his  sister  to  assassinate  the  King  and 
to  carry  off  their  two  young  kinsmen,  the  Morti- 


INTRODUCTION  xiii 

mers,  the  elder  of  whom  was  the  heir  presumptive 
to  the  throne,  was  of  sufficient  length  to  permit 
him  not  only  to  translate  La  Chasse  but  to  add 
five  original  chapters  dealing  with  English  hunting. 

These  chapters,  as  well  as  the  numerous  inter- 
polations made  by  the  translator,  are  all  of  the 
first  importance  to  the  student  of  venery,  for  they 
emphasise  the  changes — as  yet  but  very  trifling 
ones — that  had  been  introduced  into  Britain  in  the 
three  hundred  and  two  score  years  that  had  inter- 
vened since  the  Conquest, when  the  Frenchlanguage 
and  French  hunting  customs  became  established 
on  English  soil.  To  enable  the  reader  to  see  at  a 
glance  which  parts  of  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  are 
original,  these  are  printed  in  italics. 

The  text,  of  which  a  modern  rendering  is  here 
given,  is  taken  from  the  best  of  the  existing  nine- 
teen MSS.  of  the  "Master  of  Game,"  viz.  the 
Cottonian  MS.  Vespasian  B.  XII.,  in  the  British 
Museum,  dating  from  about  1420.  The  quaint 
English  of  Chaucer's  day,  with  its  archaic  con- 
tractions, puzzling  orthography,  and  long,  obsolete 
technical  terms  in  this  MS.  are  not  always  as  easy  to 
read  as  those  who  only  wish  to  get  a  general  insight 
into  the  contents  of  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  might 
wish.  It  was  a  difficult  question  to  decide  to  what 
extent  this  text  should  be  modernised.  If  trans- 
lated completely  into  twentieth  century  English  a 
great  part  of  the  charm  and  interest  of  the  original 


xiv  INTRODUCTION 

would  be  lost.  For  this  reason  many  of  the  old 
terms  of  venery  and  the  construction  of  sentences 
have  been  retained  where  possible,  so  that  the 
general  reader  will  be  able  to  appreciate  the 
"  feeling  "  of  the  old  work  without  being  unduly 
puzzled.  In  a  few  cases  where,  through  the 
omission  of  words,  the  sense  was  left  undeter- 
mined, it  has  been  made  clear  after  carefully 
consulting  other  English  MSS.  and  the  French 
parent  work. 

It  seemed  very  desirable  to  elucidate  the  textual 
description  of  hunting  by  the  reproduction  of  good 
contemporary  illuminations,  but  unfortunately 
English  art  had  not  at  that  period  reached  the 
high  state  of  perfection  which  French  art  had 
attained.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  only  two  of  the 
nineteen  English  MSS.  contain  these  pictorial  aids, 
and  they  are  of  very  inferior  artistic  merit.  The 
French  MSS.  of  La  Chasse,  on  the  other  hand,  are 
in  several  cases  exquisitely  illuminated,  and  MS. 
f.  fr.  6 1 6,  which  is  the  copy  from  which  our  re- 
productions— much  reduced  in  size,  alas  ! — are 
made,  is  not  only  the  best  of  them,  but  is  one  of  the 
most  precious  treasures  of  the  Bibliothèque  Nation- 
ale  in  Paris.  These  superb  miniatures  are  unques- 
tionably some  of  the  finest  handiwork  of  French 
miniaturists  at  a  period  when  they  occupied  the 
first  rank  in  the  world  of  art. 

The  editors  have  added  a  short  Appendix,  eluci- 


INTRODUCTION  xv 

dating  ancient  hunting  customs  and  terms  of  the 
chase.  Ancient  terms  of  venery  often  baffle  every 
attempt  of  the  student  who  is  not  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  the  French  and  German  literature  of 
hunting.  On  one  occasion  I  appealed  in  vain  to  Pro- 
fessor Max  Millier  and  to  the  learned  Editor  of  the 
Oxford  Dictionary.  "  I  regret  to  say  that  I  know 
nothing  about  these  words,"  wrote  Dr.  Murray  ; 
"  terms  of  the  chase  are  among  the  most  difficult 
of  words,  and  their  investigation  demands  a  great 
deal  of  philological  and  antiquarian  research." 
There  is  little  doubt  that  but  for  this  difficulty 
the  "Master  of  Game"  would  long  ago  have 
emerged  from  its  seclusion  of  almost  five  hundred 
years.  It  is  hoped  that  our  notes  will  assist  the 
reader  to  enjoy  this  hitherto  neglected  classic  of 
English  sport.  Singularly  enough,  as  one  is 
almost  ashamed  to  have  to  acknowledge,  foreign 
students,  particularly  Germans,  have  paid  far 
more  attention  to  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  than 
English  students  have,  and  there  are  few  manu- 
scripts of  any  importance  about  which  English 
writers  have  made  so  many  mistakes.  This  is  all 
the  more  curious  considering  the  precise  informa- 
tion to  the  contrary  so  easily  accessible  on  the 
shelves  of  the  British  Museum.  All  English 
writers  with  a  single  exception  (Thomas  Wright) 
who  have  dealt  with  our  book  have  attributed  it 
persistently  to  a  wrong  man  and  a  wrong  period. 

b 


xvi  INTRODUCTION 

This  has  been  going  on  for  more  than  a  century  ; 
for  it  was  the  learned,  but  by  no  means  always 
accurate,  Joseph  Strutt  who  first  thrust  upon  the 
world,  in  his  often  quoted  "Sports  and  Pastimes 
of  the  English  People,"  certain  misleading  blunders 
concerning  our  work  and  its  author.  Blaine, 
coming  next,  adding  thereto,  was  followed  little 
more  than  a  decade  later  by  "  Cecil,"  author  of 
an  equally  much  quoted  book,  "  Records  of  the 
Chase."  In  it,  when  speaking  of  the  "  Master  of 
Game,"  he  says  that  hç  has  "  no  doubt  that  it  is 
the  production  of  Edmund  de  Langley,"  thus 
ascribing  it  to  the  father  instead  of  to  the  son. 
Following  "  Cecil's  "  untrustworthy  lead,  Jesse, 
Lord  Wilton,  Vero  Shaw,  Dalziel,  Wynn,  the 
author  of  the  chapter  on  old  hunting  in  the  Bad- 
minton Library  volume  on  Hunting,  and  many 
other  writers  copied  blindly  these  mistakes. 

Five  years  ago  the  present  editors  published  in  a 
large  folio  volume  the  first  edition  of  the  "  Master 
of  Game"  in  a  limited  and  expensive  form.  It 
contained  side  by  side  with  the  ancient  text  a 
modernised  version,  extended  biographical  ac- 
counts of  Edward  of  York  and  of  Gaston  de 
Foix  (both  personalities  of  singular  historical  and 
human  interest),  a  detailed  bibliography  of  the 
existing  mediaeval  hunting  literature  up  to  the  end 
of  the  sixteenth  century,  a  glossary,  and  a  very 
much  longer  appendix  than  it  was  possible  to  insert 


INTRODUCTION  xvii 

in  the  present  volume,  which,  in  order  to  make  it 
conform  to  the  series  of  which  it  forms  part,  had 
to  be  cut  down  to  about  one-sixth  of  the  first 
edition.  A  similar  fate  had  to  befall  the  illustra- 
tions, which  had  to  be  reduced  materially  both  in 
number  and  size.  We  would  therefore  invite  the 
reader  whose  interest  in  the  subject  may  possibly 
be  aroused  by  the  present  pages,  to  glance  at  the 
perhaps  formidable-looking  pages  of  the  first 
edition,  with  its  facsimile  photogravure  reproduc- 
tions of  the  best  French  and  English  illuminations 
to  be  found  in  fifteenth  century  hunting  literature. 

In  conclusion,  I  desire  to  repeat  also  in  this  place 
the  expression  of  my  thanks  to  the  authorities  of 
the  British  Museum — to  Dr.  G.  F.  Warner  and 
Mr.  I.  H.  Jeayes  in  particular — to  the  heads  of 
the  Bodleian  Library,  the  Bibliothèque  Nationale, 
the  Mazarin  and  the  Arsenal  Libraries  in  Paris, 
the  Due  d'Aumale's  Library  at  Chantilly,  the 
Bibliothèque  Royale  at  Brussels,  the  Konigliche 
Bibliotheken  in  Munich  and  Dresden,  the  Kaiser- 
liche  una  Konigliche  Haus,  H  of  and  Staats  Archiv, 
and  the  K.  and  K.  Hof  Bibliothek  in  Vienna,  to 
Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall,  Mr.  J.  E.  Harting,  Mr.  T. 
Fitzroy  Fenwick  of  Cheltenham,  and  to  express 
my  indebtedness  to  the  late  Sir  Henry  Dryden,  Bt., 
of  Canons  Ashby,  for  his  kind  assistance  in  my 
research  work. 

To  one   person   more   than   to   any  other   my 


xviii  INTRODUCTION 

grateful  acknowledgment  is  due,  namely  to  Mr. 
Theodore  Roosevelt,  President  of  the  United 
States,  who,  notwithstanding  the  press  of  official 
duties,  has  found  time  to  write  the  interesting 
Foreword.  A  conscientious  historian  of  his  own 
great  country,  as  well  as  one  of  its  keenest  sports- 
men, President  Roosevelt's  qualifications  for  this 
kindly  office  may  be  described  as  those  of  a  modern 
Master  of  Game.  No  more  competent  writer 
could  have  been  selected  to  introduce  to  his 
countrymen  a  work  that  illustrates  the  spirit 
which  animated  our  common  forbears  five  cen- 
turies ago,  their  characteristic  devotion  to  the 
chase,  no  less  than  their  intimate  acquaintance 
with  the  habits  and  "  nature  "  of  the  wild  game 
they  pursued  :  all  attributes  worthy  of  some  study 
by  the  reading  sportsmen  of  the  twentieth  century, 
who,  as  I  show,  have  hitherto  neglected  the  study 
of  English  Venery.  It  was  at  first  intended  to 
print  this  Foreword  only  in  the  American  Edition, 
but  it  soon  became  evident  that  this  would  give 
to  it  an  advantage  which  readers  in  this  country 
would  have  some  reason  to  complain  of,  so  it  was 
inserted  also  in  the  English  Edition,  and  from  it 
taken  over  into  the  present  one. 


London,  March  3,  1909, 


FOREWORD 

TO   THE   FIRST   EDITION 

During  the  century  that  has  just  closed  English- 
men have  stood  foremost  in  all  branches  of  sport, 
at  least  so  far  as  the  chase  has  been  carried  on  by 
those  who  have  not  followed  it  as  a  profession. 
Here  and  there  in  the  world  whole  populations  have 
remained  hunters,  to  whom  the  chase  was  part  of 
their  regular  work — delightful  and  adventurous, 
but  still  work.  Such  were  the  American  back- 
woodsmen and  their  successors  of  the  great  plains 
and  the  Rocky  Mountains  ;  such  were  the  South 
African  Boers  ;  and  the  mountaineers  of  Tyrol,  if 
not  coming  exactly  within  this  class,  yet  treated 
the  chase  both  as  a  sport  and  a  profession.  But 
disregarding  these  wild  and  virile  populations,  and 
considering  only  the  hunter  who  hunts  for  the 
sake  of  the  hunting,  it  must  be  said  of  the 
Englishman  that  he  stood  pre-eminent  throughout 
the  nineteenth  century  as  a  sportsman  for  sport's 
sake.  Not  only  was  fox-hunting  a  national  pas- 
time, but  in  every  quarter  of  the  globe  English- 
men predominated  among  the  adventurous  spirits 
who  combined  the  chase  of  big  game  with  bold 


xx     FOREWORD   TO   FIRST   EDITION 

exploration  of  the  unknown.  The  icy  polar  seas, 
the  steaming  equatorial  forests,  the  waterless 
tropical  deserts,  the  vast  plains  of  wind-rippled 
grass,  the  wooded  northern  wilderness,  the  stupen- 
dous mountain  masses  of  the  Andes  and  the 
Himalayas — in  short,  all  regions,  however  frown- 
ing and  desolate,  were  penetrated  by  the  restless 
English  in  their  eager  quest  for  big  game.  Not 
content  with  the  sport  afforded  by  the  rifle, 
whether  ahorse  or  afoot,  the  English  in  India 
developed  the  use  of  the  spear  and  in  Ceylon  the 
use  of  the  knife  as  the  legitimate  weapons  with 
which  to  assail  the  dangerous  quarry  of  the  jungle 
and  the  plain.  There  were  hunters  of  other 
nationalities,  of  course — Americans,  Germans, 
Frenchmen  ;  but  the  English  were  the  most 
numerous  of  those  whose  exploits  were  best  worth 
recounting,  and  there  was  among  them  a  larger 
proportion  of  men  gifted  with  the  power  of  nar- 
ration. Naturally  under  such  circumstances  a 
library  of  nineteenth  century  hunting  must  be 
mainly  one  of  English  authors. 

All  this  was  widely  different  in  the  preceding 
centuries.  From  the  Middle  Ages  to  the  period 
of  the  French  Revolution  hunting  was  carried  on 
with  keener  zest  in  continental  Europe  than  in 
England  ;  and  the  literature  of  the  chase  was  far 
richer  in  the  French,  and  even  in  the  German, 
tongues  than  in  the  English. 


FOREWORD    TO   FIRST    EDITION     xxi 

The  Romans,  unlike  the  Greeks,  and  still  more 
unlike  those  mighty  hunters  of  old,  the  Assyrians, 
cared  little  for  the  chase  ;  but  the  white-skinned, 
fair-haired,  blue-eyed  barbarians,  who,  out  of  the 
wreck  of  the  Roman  Empire,  carved  the  States 
from  which  sprang  modern  Europe,  were  passion- 
ately devoted  to  hunting.  Game  of  many  kinds 
then  swarmed  in  the  cold,  wet  forests  which 
covered  so  large  a  portion  of  Europe.  The  kings 
and  nobles,  and  the  freemen  generally,  of  the 
regions  which  now  make  France  and  Germany, 
followed  not  only  the  wolf,  boar,  and  stag — the 
last  named  the  favourite  quarry  of  the  hunter  of 
the  Middle  Ages — but  the  bear,  the  bison — which 
still  lingers  in  the  Caucasus  and  in  one  Lithuanian 
preserve  of  the  Czar — and  the  aurochs,  the  huge 
wild  ox — the  Urus  of  Caesar — which  has  now 
vanished  from  the  world.  In  the  Nibelungen 
Lied,  when  Siegfried's  feats  of  hunting  are  de- 
scribed, it  is  specified  that  he  slew  both  the  bear 
and  the  elk,  the  bison  and  the  aurochs.  One  of 
the  early  Burgundian  kings  was  killed  while 
hunting  the  bison  ;  and  Charlemagne  was  not 
only  passionately  devoted  to  the  chase  of  these 
huge  wild  cattle,  but  it  is  said  prized  the  prowess 
shown  therein  by  one  of  his  stalwart  daughters. 

By  the  fourteenth  century,  when  the  Count  of 
Foix  wrote,  the  aurochs  was  practically  or  entirely 
extinct,  and   the   bison   had   retreated    eastwards, 


xxii     FOREWORD   TO   FIRST   EDITION 

where  for  more  than  three  centuries  it  held  its 
own  in  the  gloomy  morasses  of  the  plain  south- 
east of  the  Baltic.  In  western  Europe  the  game 
was  then  the  same  in  kind  that  it  is  now,  although 
all  the  larger  species  were  very  much  more  plenti- 
ful, the  roebuck  being  perhaps  the  only  one  of 
the  wild  animals  that  has  since  increased  in 
numbers.  With  a  few  exceptions,  such  as  the 
Emperor  Maximilian,  the  kings  and  great  lords 
of  the  Middle  Ages  were  not  particularly  fond  of 
chamois  and  ibex  hunting  ;  it  was  reserved  for 
Victor  Emmanuel  to  be  the  first  sovereign  with 
whom  shooting  the  now  almost  vanished  ibex  was 
a  favourite  pastime. 

Eager  though  the  early  Norman  and  Planta- 
genet  kings  and  nobles  of  England  were  in  the 
chase,  especially  of  the  red  deer,  in  France  and 
Germany  the  passion  for  the  sport  was  still 
greater.  In  the  end,  on  the  Continent  the  chase 
became  for  the  upper  classes  less  a  pleasure  than 
an  obsession,  and  it  was  carried  to  a  fantastic 
degree.  Many  of  them  followed  it  with  brutal 
indifference  to  the  rights  of  the  peasantry  and  to 
the  utter  neglect  of  all  the  serious  affairs  of  life. 
During  the  disastrous  period  of  the  Thirty  Years 
War,  the  Elector  of  Saxony  spent  most  of  his 
time  in  slaughtering  unheard-of  numbers  of  red 
deer  ;  if  he  had  devoted  his  days  and  his  treasure 
to  the  urgent  contemporary  problems  of  statecraft 


FOREWORD   TO   FIRST   EDITION     xxiii 

and  warcraft  he  would  have  ranked  more  nearly 
with  Gustavus  Adolphus  and  Wallenstein,  and 
would  have  stood  better  at  the  bar  of  history. 
Louis  XVI.  was  also  devoted  to  the  chase  in  its 
tamer  forms,  and  was  shooting  at  driven  game 
when  the  Paris  mob  swarmed  out  to  take  posses- 
sion of  his  person.  The  great  lords,  with  whom 
love  of  hunting  had  become  a  disease,  not  merely 
made  of  game-preserving  a  grievous  burden  for 
the  people,  but  also  followed  the  chase  in  ways 
which  made  scant  demands  upon  the  hardier  quali- 
ties either  of  mind  or  of  body.  Such  debased 
sport  was  contemptible  then  ;  and  it  is  con- 
temptible now.  Luxurious  and  effeminate  arti- 
ficiality, and  the  absence  of  all  demands  for  the 
hardy  virtues,  rob  any  pastime  of  all  title  to 
regard.  Shooting  at  driven  game  on  occasions 
when  the  day's  sport  includes  elaborate  feasts  in 
tents  on  a  store  of  good  things  brought  in  waggons 
or  on  the  backs  of  sumpter  mules,  while  the  sport 
itself  makes  no  demand  upon  the  prowess  of  the 
so-called  sportsman,  is  but  a  dismal  parody  upon 
the  stern  hunting  life  in  which  the  man  trusts  to 
his  own  keen  eye,  stout  thews,  and  heart  of  steel 
for  success  and  safety  in  the  wild  warfare  waged 
against  wild  nature. 

Neither  of  the  two  authors  now  under  con- 
sideration comes  in  this  undesirable  class.  Both 
were   mighty   men  with  their  hands,  terrible  in 


xxiv     FOREWORD   TO   FIRST   EDITION 

battle,  of  imposing  presence  and  turbulent  spirit. 
Both  were  the  patrons  of  art  and  letters,  and  both 
were  cultivated  in  the  learning  of  the  day.  For 
each  of  them  the  chase  stood  as  a  hardy  and 
vigorous  pastime  of  the  kind  which  makes  a 
people  ;  great.  The  one  was  Count  Gaston  de 
Foix,  author  of  the  most  famous  of  mediaeval 
hunting-books,  a  mighty  lord  and  mighty  hunter, 
as  well  as  statesman  and  warrior.  The  other  was 
Edward,  second  Duke  of  York,  who  at  Agincourt 
"died  victorious."  He  translated  into  English 
a  large  portion  of  Gaston  de  Foix's  La  Chasse, 
adding  to  it  five  original  chapters.  He  called  his 
book  "The  Master  of  Game." 

Gaston's  book  is  better  known  as  Gaston 
Phœbus,  the  nickname  of  the  author  which  Frois- 
sart  has  handed  down.  He  treats  not  only 
of  the  animals  of  France,  but  of  the  ibex,  the 
chamois,  and  the  reindeer,  which  he  hunted  in 
foreign  lands.  "  The  Master  of  Game  "  is  the 
oldest  book  on  hunting  in  the  English  language. 
The  original  chapters  are  particularly  interesting 
because  of  the  light  they  throw  upon  English 
hunting  customs  in  the  time  of  the  Plantagenets. 
The  book  has  never  hitherto  been  published. 
Nineteen  ancient  manuscript  copies  are  known  ; 
of  the  three  best  extant  two  are  on  the  shelves  of 
the  Bloomsbury  treasure  house,  the  other  in  the 
Bodleian  Library.     Like  others  of  the  famous  old 


FOREWORD   TO   FIRST    EDITION     xxv 

authors  on  venery,  both  the  Count  of  Foix  and 
the  Duke  of  York  show  an  astonishing  familiarity 
with  the  habits,  nature,  and  chase  of  their  quarry. 
Both  men,  like  others  of  their  kind  among  their 
contemporaries,  made  of  the  chase  not  only  an 
absorbing  sport  but  almost  the  sole  occupation  of 
their  leisure  hours.  They  passed  their  days  in 
the  forest  and  were  masters  of  woodcraft.  Game 
abounded,  and  not  only  the  chase  but  the  killing 
of  the  quarry  was  a  matter  of  intense  excitement 
and  an  exacting  test  of  personal  prowess,  for  the 
boar,  or  the  bear,  or  hart  at  bay  was  slain  at  close 
quarters  with  the  spear  or  long  knife. 

"  The  Master  of  Game  "  is  not  only  of  interest 
to  the  sportsman,  but  also  to  the  naturalist,  be- 
cause of  its  quaint  accounts  of  the  "  nature  "  of 
the  various  animals  ;  to  the  philologist  because  of 
the  old  English  hunting  terms  and  the  excellent 
translations  of  the  chapters  taken  from  the  French; 
and  to  the  lover  of  art  because  of  the  beautiful 
illustrations,  with  all  their  detail  of  costume,  of 
hunting  accoutrements,  and  of  ceremonies  of  "  la 
grande  vénerie  "  — which  are  here  reproduced  in 
facsimile  from  one  of  the  best  extant  French  manu- 
scripts of  the  early  fifteenth  century.  The  trans- 
lator has  left  out  the  chapters  on  trapping  and 
snaring  of  wild  beasts  which  were  contained  in  the 
original,  the  hunting  with  running  hounds  being 
the  typical  and  most  esteemed  form  of  the  sport. 


xxvi     FOREWORD   TO    FIRST   EDITION 

Gaston  Phœbus's  La  Chasse  was  written  just 
over  a  century  before  the  discovery  of  America  ; 
"  The  Master  of  Game  "  some  fifteen  or  twenty 
years  later.  The  former  has  been  reprinted  many 
times.  Mr.  Baillie-Grohman  in  reproducing  (for 
the  first  time)  the  latter  in  such  beautiful  form 
has  rendered  a  real  service  to  all  lovers  of  sport, 
of  nature,  and  of  books — and  no  one  can  get  the 
highest  enjoyment  out  of  sport  unless  he  can  live 
over  again  in  the  library  the  keen  pleasure  he 
experienced  in  the  wilderness. 

In  modern  life  big-game  hunting  has  assumed 
many  widely  varied  forms.  There  are  still  re- 
mote regions  of  the  earth  in  which  the  traveller 
must  depend  upon  his  prowess  as  a  hunter  for 
his  subsistence,  and  here  and  there  the  foremost 
settlers  of  new  country  still  war  against  the  game 
as  it  has  been  warred  against  by  their  like  since 
time  primeval.  But  over  most  of  the  earth  such 
conditions  have  passed  away  for  ever.  Even  in 
Africa  game  preserving  on  a  gigantic  scale  has 
begun.  Such  game  preserving  may  be  of  two 
kinds.  In  one  the  individual  landed  proprietor, 
or  a  group  of  such  individuals,  erect  and  maintain 
a  private  game  preserve,  the  game  being  their 
property  just  as  much  as  domestic  animals.  Such 
preserves ,  of  ten  fill  a  useful  purpose,  and  if  man- 
aged intelligently  and  with  a  sense  of  public  spirit 


FOREWORD   TO    FIRST   EDITION     xxvii 

and  due  regard  for  the  interests  and  feelings  of 
others,  may  do  much  good,  even  in  the  most  demo- 
cratic community.  But  wherever  the  population 
is  sufficiently  advanced  in  intelligence  and  char- 
acter, a  far  preferable  and  more  democratic  way  of 
preserving  the  game  is  by  a  system  of  public  pre- 
serves, of  protected  nurseries  and  breeding-grounds, 
while  the  laws  define  the  conditions  under  which 
all  alike  may  shoot  the  game  and  the  restrictions 
under  which  all  alike  must  enjoy  the  privilege. 
It  is  in  this  way  that  the  wild  creatures  of  the 
forest  and  the  mountain  can  best  and  most  per- 
manently be  preserved.  Even  in  the  United 
States  the  enactment  and  observance  of  such  laws 
has  brought  about  a  marked  increase  in  the  game 
of  certain  localities,  as,  for  instance,  New  England, 
during  the  past  thirty  years  ;  while  in  the  Yellow- 
stone Park  the  elk,  deer,  antelope,  and  mountain 
sheep,  and,  strangest  of  all,  the  bear,  are  not 
merely  preserved  in  all  their  wild  freedom,  but, 
by  living  unmolested,  have  grown  to  show  a  con- 
fidence in  man  and  a  tameness  in  his  presence  such 
as  elsewhere  can  be  found  only  in  regions  where 
he  has  been  hitherto  unknown. 

The  chase  is  the  best  of  all  national  pastimes, 
and  this  none  the  less  because,  like  every  other 
pastime,  it  is  a  mere  source  of  weakness  if  carried 
on  in  an  unhealthy  manner,  or  to  an  excessive 
degree,  or  under  over-artificial  conditions.    Every 


xxviii     FOREWORD   TO   FIRST   EDITION 

vigorous  game,  from  football  to  polo,  if  allowed 
to  become  more  than  a  game,  and  if  serious  work 
is  sacrificed  to  its  enjoyment,  is  of  course  noxious. 
From  the  days  when  Trajan  in  his  letters  to  Pliny 
spoke  with  such  hearty  contempt  of  the  Greek 
over-devotion  to  athletics,  every  keen  thinker  has 
realised  that  vigorous  sports  are  only  good  in  their 
proper  place.  But  in  their  proper  place  they  are 
very  good  indeed.  The  conditions  of  modern  life 
are  highly  artificial,  and  too  often  tend  to  a  soften- 
ing of  fibre,  physical  and  moral.  It  is  a  good 
thing  for  a  man  to  be  forced  to  show  self-reliance, 
resourcefulness  in  emergency,  willingness  to  en- 
dure fatigue  and  hunger,  and  at  need  to  face  risk. 
Hunting  is  praiseworthy  very  much  in  proportion 
as  it  tends  to  develop  these  qualities.  Mr.  Baillie- 
Grohman,  to  whom  most  English-speaking  lovers 
of  sport  owe  their  chief  knowledge  of  the  feats  in 
bygone  time  of  the  great  hunters  of  continental 
Europe,  has  himself  followed  in  its  most  manly 
forms  this,  the  manliest  of  sports.  He  has  hunted 
the  bear,  the  wapiti,  and  the  mountain  ram  in  the 
wildest  regions  of  the  Rockies,  and,  also  by  fair 
stalking,  the  chamois  and  the  red  deer  in  the  Alps. 
Whoever  habitually  follows  mountain  game  in 
such  fashion  must  necessarily  develop  qualities 
which  it  is  a  good  thing  for  any  nation  to  see 
brought  out  in  its  sons.  Such  sport  is  as  far  re- 
moved as  possible  from  that  in  which  the  main 


FOREWORD    TO    FIRST   EDITION     xxix 

object  is  to  make  huge  bags  at  small  cost  of  effort, 
and  with  the  maximum  of  ease,  no  good  quality 
save  marksmanship  being  required.  Laying  stress 
upon  the  mere  quantity  of  game  killed,  and  the 
publication  of  the  record  of  slaughter,  are  sure 
signs  of  unhealthy  decadence  in  sportsmanship. 
As  far  as  possible  the  true  hunter,  the  true  lover 
of  big  game  and  of  life  in  the  wilderness,  must  be 
ever  ready  to  show  his  own  power  to  shift  for 
himself.  The  greater  his  dependence  upon  others 
for  his  sport  the  less  he  deserves  to  take  high  rank 
in  the  brotherhood  of  rifle,  horse,  and  hound. 
There  was  a  very  attractive  side  to  the  hunting  of 
the  great  mediaeval  lords,  carried  on  with  an  elabo- 
rate equipment  and  stately  ceremonial,  especially  as 
there  was  an  element  of  danger  in  coming  to  close 
quarters  with  the  quarry  at  bay  ;  but  after  all,  no 
form  of  hunting  has  ever  surpassed  in  attractive- 
ness the  life  of  the  wilderness  wanderer  of  our 
own  time — the  man  who  with  simple  equipment, 
and  trusting  to  his  own  qualities  of  head,  heart, 
and  hand,  has  penetrated  to  the  uttermost  regions 
of  the  earth,  and  single-handed  slain  alike  the 
wariest  and  the  grimmest  of  the  creatures  of  the 
waste. 

THEODORE  ROOSEVELT. 


February  15,  1904. 


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:       : 


GASTON  PHŒBUS  SURROUNDED   BY   HUNTSMEN 
AND   HOUNDS 


(From  MS.  f.  fr.  616,  Bib.  Nat.,  Paris) 


THE    MASTER    OF    GAME 


CHAPTER   I 

THE      PROLOGUE 

To  the  honour  and  reverence  of  you  my  right 
worshipful  and  dread  Lord  Henry  by  the  grace  of 
God  eldest  son  and  heir  unto  the  high  excellent 
and  Christian  Prince  Henry  IV.  by  the  aforesaid 
grace  King  of  England  and  of  France,  Prince  of 
Wales,  Duke  of  Guienne  of  Lancaster  and  of  Corn- 
wall, and  Earl  of  Chester. 

I  your  own  in  every  humble  wise  have  me  ventured 
to  make  this  little  simple  book  which  I  recommend 
and  submit  to  your  noble  and  wise  correction,  which 
book  if  it  fleaseth  your  aforesaid  Lordship  shall  be 
named  and  called  MASTER  OF  GAME.  And 
for  this  cause  :  for  the  matter  that  this  book  treateth 
of  what  in  every  season  of  the  year  is  most  durable, 
and  to  my  thinking  to  every  gentle  heart  most  dis- 
portful  of  all  games,  that  is  to  say  hunting.  For 
though  it  be  that  hawking  with  gentle  hounds  and 
hawks  for  the  heron  and  the  river  be  noble  and  com^ 

A 


2  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

mendable,  it  lasteth  seldom  at  the  most  more  than 
half  a  year.  For  though  men  find  from.  May  unto 
Lammas  (August  ist)  game  enough  to  hawk  at,  no 
one  will  find  hawks  to  hawk  with.1  But  as  of 
hunting  there  is  no  season  of  all  the  year,  that  game 
may  not  he  found  in  every  good  country,  also  hounds 
ready  to  chase  it.  And  since  this  hook  shall  he  all 
of  hunting,  which  is  so  noble  a  game,  and  lasting 
through  all  the  year  of  divers  beasts  that  grow 
according  to  the  season  for  the  gladdening  of 
man,  I  think  I  may  well  call  it  MASTER  OF 
GAME. 

And  though  it  be  so  my  dear  Lord,  that  many 
could  better  have  meddled  with  this  matter  and  also 
more  ably  than  L,  yet  there  be  two  things  that  have 
'principally  emboldened  and  caused  me  to  take  this 
work  in  hand.  The  first  is  trust  of  your  noble  cor- 
rection, to  which  as  before  is  said,  I  submit  this 
little  and  simple  book.  The  second  is  that  though  I 
be  unworthy,  L  am  Master  of  this  Game  with  that 
noble  prince  your  Father  our  all  dear  sovereign  and 
liege  Lord  aforesaid.  And  as  I  would  not  that  his 
hunters  nor  yours  that  now  be  or  that  should  come 
hereafter  did  not  know  the  perfection  of  this  art,  I 
shall  leave  for  these  this  simple  memorial,  for  as 
Chaucer  saith  in  his  prologue  of  "  The  25  2  Good 
Women  "  :   "  By  writing  have  men  mind  of  thi7igs 

1  As  the  hawks  would  be  mewing  and  unfit  to  fly. 

2  The  Shirlev  MS.  in  the  British  Museum  has  "XV." 


THE   PROLOGUE  3 

passed,  for  writing  is  the  key  of  all  good  remem- 
brance" 

And  first  I  will  begin  by  describing  the  nature 
of  the  hare,1  secondly  of  the  nature  of  the  hart, 
thirdly  of  the  buck  and  of  his  nature,  fourthly  of 
the  roe  and  of  his  nature,  fifthly  of  the  wild  boar 
and  of  his  nature,  sixthly  of  the  wolf  and  of  his 
nature,  seventhly  of  the  fox  and  of  his  nature, 
eighthly  of  the  badger  and  of  his  nature,  ninthly 
of  the  cat  and  of  his  nature,  tenthly  of  the  marten 
and  his  nature,  eleventhly  of  the  otter  and  of  his 
nature.  Now  have  I  rehearsed  how  I  will  in  this 
little  book  describe  the  nature  of  these  aforesaid 
beasts  of  venery  and  of  chace,  and  therefore  will 
I  name  the  hounds  the  which  I  will  describe  here- 
after, both  of  their  nature  and  conditions.  And 
first  I  will  begin  with  raches  (running  hounds)  2 
and  their  nature,  and  then  greyhounds  and  their 
nature,  and  then  alaunts  and  their  nature,  and 
then  spaniels  and  their  nature,  and  then  mastiffs 
that  men  call  curs  and  their  nature,  and  then  of 

1  Gaston  de  Foix  has  a  different  sequence,  putting  the  hart 
first  and  the  hare  sixth,  and  having  four  animals  more,  namely, 
the  reindeer,  the  chamois  (including  ibex),  the  bear  and  the 
rabbit,  while  the  "Master  of  Game"  has  one  animal,  the 
Marten,  of  which  Gaston  de  Foix  does  not  speak. 

2  Gaston  de  Foix  follows  a  different  sequence,  commencing 
with  alaunts,  then  greyhounds,  raches,  spaniels,  and  says 
"fifthly  I  will  speak  of  all  kinds  of  mongrel  dogs,  such  as 
come  from  mastiffs  and  alaunts,  from  greyhounds  and  running 
hounds,  and  other  such." 


4  THE    MASTER    OF   GAME 

small  curs  that  come  to  be  terriers  and  their 
nature,  and  then  I  shall  devise  and  tell  the  sick- 
nesses of  hounds  and  their  diseases.  And  further- 
more I  will  describe  what  qualities  and  manners 
a  good  hunter  should  have,  and  of  what  parts  he 
should  be,  and  after  that  I  will  describe  the 
manner  and  shape  of  the  kennel,  and  how  it 
should  be  environed  and  arrayed.  Also  I  will 
describe  of  what  fashion  a  hunter's  horn  should 
be  driven,  and  how  the  couplings  should  be  made 
for  the  raches  and  of  what  length.  Furthermore 
I  will  prove  by  sundry  reasons  in  this  little  pro- 
logue, that  the  life  of  no  man  that  useth  gentle 
game  and  disport  be  less  displeasable  unto  God 
than  the  life  of  a  perfect  and  skilful  hunter, 
or  from  which  more  good  cometh.  The  first 
reason  is  that  hunting  causeth  a  man  to  eschew 
the  seven  deadly  sins.  Secondly  menr'are  better 
when  riding,  more  just  and  more  understanding, 
and  more  alert  and  more  at  ease  and  more  under- 
taking, and  better  knowing  of  all  countries  and  all 
passages  ;  in  short  and  long  all  good  customs  and 
manners  cometh  thereof,  and  the  health  of  man 
and  of  his  soul.  For  he  that  fleeth  the  seven 
deadly  sins  as  we  believe,  he  shall  be  saved,  there- 
fore a  good  hunter  shall  be  saved,  and  in  this 
world  have  joy  enough  and  of  gladness  and  of 
solace,  so  that  he  keep  himself  from  two  things. 
One  is  that  he  leave  not  the  knowledge  nor  the 


THE    PROLOGUE  5 

service  of  God,  from  whom  all  good  cometh,  for 
his  hunting.  The  second  that  he  lose  not  the 
service  of  his  master  for  his  hunting,  nor  his  own 
duties  which  might  profit  him  most.  Now  shall 
I  prove  how  a  hunter  may  not  fall  into  any  of 
the  seven  deadly  sins.  When  a  man  is  idle  and 
reckless  without  work,  and  be  not  occupied  in 
doing  some  thing,  he  abides  in  his  bed  or  in  his 
chamber,  a  thing  which  draweth  men  to  imagina- 
tions of  fleshly  lust  and  pleasure.  For  such  men 
have  no  wish  but  always  to  abide  in  one  place,  and 
think  in  pride,  or  in  avarice,  or  in  wrath,  or  in 
sloth,  or  in  gluttony,  or  in  lechery,  or  in  envy. 
For  the  imagination  of  men  rather  turns  to  evil 
than  to  good,  for  the  three  enemies  which  man- 
kind hath,  are  the  devil,  the  world  and  the  flesh, 
and  this  is  proved  enough. 

Nevertheless  there  be  many  other  reasons  which 
are  too  long  to  tell,  and  also  every  man  that 
hath  good  reason  knoweth  well  that  idleness  is 
the  foundation  of  all  evil  imaginations.  Now  shall 
I  prove  how  imagination  is  lord  and  master  of  all 
works,  good  or  evil,  that  man's  body  or  his  limbs 
do.  You  know  well,  good  or  evil  works  small 
or  great  never  were  done  but  that  beforehand 
they  were  imagined  or  thought  of.  Now  shall 
you  prove  how  imagination  is  the  mistress  of  all 
deeds,  for  imagination  biddeth  a  man  do  good  or 
evil  works,  whichever  it  be,  as  before  is  said.     And 


6  THE   MASTER    OF   GAME 

if  a  man  notwithstanding  that  he  were  wise  should 
imagine  always  that  he  were  a  fool,  or  that  he  hath 
other  sickness,  it  would  be  so,  for  since  he  would 
think  steadfastly  that  he  were  a  fool,  he  would  do 
foolish  deeds  as  his  imagination  would  command, 
and  he  would  believe  it  steadfastly.  Wherefore 
methinks  I  have  proved  enough  of  imagination, 
notwithstanding  that  there  be  many  other  reasons 
the  which  I  leave  to  avoid  long  writing.  Every 
man  that  hath  good  sense  knoweth  well  that  this 
is  the  truth. 

Now  I  will  prove  how  a  good  hunter  may  not 
be  idle,  and  in  dreaming  may  not  have  any  evil 
imaginations  nor  afterwards  any  evil  works.  For 
the  day  before  he  goes  out  to  his  office,  the  night 
before  he  shall  lay  him  down  in  his  bed,  and  shall 
not  think  but  for  to  sleep,  and  do  his  office  well 
and  busily,  as  a  good  hunter  should.  And  he 
shall  have  nothing  to  do,  but  think  about  all 
that  which  he  has  been  ordered  to  do.  And  he 
is  not  idle,  for  he  has  enough  to  do  to  think  about 
rising  early  and  to  do  his  office  without  thinking 
of  sins  or  of  evil  deeds.  And  early  in  the  dawn- 
ing of  the  day  he  must  be  up  for  to  go  unto  his 
quest,  that  in  English  is  called  searching,  well  and 
busily,  for  as  I  shall  say  more  explicitly  hereafter, 
when  I  shall  speak  of  how  men  shall  quest  and 
search  to  harbour  the  hart.  And  in  so  doing  he 
shall  not  be   idle,  for  he  is   always   busy.     And 


THE   PROLOGUE  7 

when  he  shall  come  again  to  the  assembly  or  meet, 
then  he  hath  most  to  do,  for  he  must  order  his 
finders  and  relays  for  to  move  the  hart,  and  un- 
couple his  hounds.  With  that  he  cannot  be  idle, 
for  he  need  think  of  nothing  but  to  do  his  office, 
and  when  he  hath  uncoupled,  yet  is  he  less  idle, 
and  he  should  think  less  of  any  sins,  for  he  hath 
enough  to  do  to  ride  or  to  foot  it  well  with  his 
hounds  and  to  be  always  near  them  and  to  hue  or 
rout  well,  and  blow  well,  and  to  look  whereafter 
he  hunteth,  and  which  hounds  are  vanchasers  and 
farfiters,1  and  redress  and  bring  his  hounds  on  the 
right  line  again  when  they  are  at  fault 2  or  hunt- 
ing rascal.3  And  when  the  hart  is  dead  or  what 
other  chase  he  was  hunting,  then  is  he  less  idle, 
for  he  hath  enough  to  do  to  think  how  to  undo 
the  hart  in  his  manner  and  to  raise  that  which 
appertaineth 4  to  him,  and  well  to  do  his  curée.5 
And  he  should  look  how  many  of  his  hounds  are 
missing  of  those  that  he  brought  to  the  wood  in 
the  morning,  and  he  should  search  for  them,  and 
couple  them  up.     And  when  he  has  come  home, 

1  The  hounds  that  came  in  the  first  relay  (van)  and  those 
in  the  subsequent  relays.     See  Appendix  :  Relays. 

2  Diverted  or  off  the  line. 

3  Chasing  small  or  lean  deer.     See  Appendix  :  Hart. 

*  To  take  those  parts  of  the  deer  which  fell  to  him  by 
custom. 

5  Curée  :  The  ceremony  of  giving  the  hounds  their  reward 
on  the  skin  of  the  animal  they  have  chased.  See  Appendix  : 
Curée. 


8  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

should  he  less  think  to  do  evil,  for  he  hath  enough 
to  do  to  think  of  his  supper,  and  to  ease  himself 
and  his  horse,  and  to  sleep,  and  to  take  his  rest, 
for  he  is  weary,  and  to  dry  himself  of  the  dew  or 
peradventure  of  the  rain.  And  therefore  I  say 
that  all  the  time  of  the  hunter  is  without  idleness 
and  without  evil  thoughts,  and  without  evil  works 
of  sin,  for  as  I  have  said  idleness  is  the  foundation 
of  all  vices  and  sins.  And  the  hunter  may  not  be 
idle  if  he  would  fill  his  office  aright,  and  also  he 
can  have  no  other  thoughts,  for  he  has  enough  to 
do  to  think  and  imagine  of  his  office,  the  which 
is  no  little  charge,  for  whoso  will  do  it  well  and 
busily,  especially  if  they  love  hounds  and  their 
office. 

Wherefore  I  say  that  such  an  hunter  is  not  idle, 
he  can  have  no  evil  thoughts,  nor  can  he  do 
evil  works,  wherefore  he  must  go  into  paradise.1 
For  by  many  other  reasons  which  are  too  long  to 
write  can  I  prove  these  things,  but  it  sufficeth 
that  every  man  that  hath  good  sense  knoweth  well 
that  I  speak  the  real  truth. 

Now  shall  I  prove  how  hunters  live  in  this  world 
more  joyfully  than  any  other  men.  For  when  the 
hunter  riseth  in  the  morning,  and  he  sees  a  sweet 
and  fair  morn  and  clear  weather  and  bright,  and  he 

1  Gaston  de  Foix  in  the  French  parent  work  puts  it  even 
more  forcefully  ;  he  says  :  "  tout  droit  en  paradis."  See 
Lavallée's  ed.  1854. 


THE   PROLOGUE  9 

heareth  the  song  of  the  small  birds,  the  which 
sing  so  sweetly  with  great  melody  and  full  of  love, 
each  in  it's  own  language  in  the  best  wise  that 
it  can  according  that  it  learneth  of  it's  own  kind. 
And  when  the  sun  is  arisen,  he  shall  see  fresh  dew 
upon  the  small  twigs  and  grasses,  and  the  sun  by 
his  virtue  shall  make  them  shine.  And  that  is 
great  joy  and  liking  to  the  hunter's  heart.  After 
when  he  shall  go  to  his  quest  or  searching,  he  shall 
see  or  meet  anon  with  the  hart  without  great  seek- 
ing, and  shall  harbour 1  him  well  and  readily  within 
a  little  compass.  It  is  great  joy  and  liking  to  the 
hunter.  And  after  when  he  shall  come  to  the 
assembly  or  gathering,  and  he  shall  report  before 
the  Lord  and  his  company  that  which  he  hath  seen 
with  his  eyes,  or  by  scantilon  (measure)  of  the 
trace  (slot)  which  he  ought  always  of  right  to 
take,  or  by  the  fumes  2  (excrements)  that  he  shall 
put  in  his  horn  or  in  his  lap.  And  every  man  shall 
say  :  Lo,  here  is  a  great  hart  and  a  deer  of  high 
meating  or  pasturing  ;  go  we  and  move  him  ;  the 
which  things  I  shall  declare  hereafter,  then  can 
one  say  that  the  hunter  has  great  joy.  When  he 
beginneth  to  hunt  and  he  hath  hunted  but  a  little 
and  he  shall  hear  or  see  the  hart  start  before 
him  and  shall  well  know  that  it  is  the  right  one, 
and  his  hounds  that  shall  this  day  be  finders,  shall 

1  Trace  the  deer  to  its  lair. 

2  See  Appendix  :  Excrements. 


io  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

come  to  the  lair  (bed),  or  to  the  fues  (track),  and 
shall  there  be  uncoupled  without  any  be  left 
coupled,  and  they  shall  all  run  well  and  hunt, 
then  hath  the  hunter  great  joy  and  great  pleasure. 
Afterwards  he  leapeth  on  horseback,  if  he  be  of 
that  estate,  and  else  on  foot  with  great  haste  to 
follow  his  hounds.  And  in  case  peradventure 
the  hounds  shall  have  gone  far  from  where  he 
uncoupled,  he  seeketh  some  advantage  to  get 
in  front  of  his  hounds.  And  then  shall  he  see 
the  hart  pass  before  him,  and  shall  holloa  and 
rout  mightily,  and  he  shall  see  which  hound  come 
in  the  van-chase,  and  in  the  middle,  and  which 
are  parfitours,1  according  to  the  order  in  which 
they  shall  come.  And  when  all  the  hounds  have 
passed  before  him  then  shall  he  ride  after  them 
and  shall  rout  and  blow  as  loud  as  he  may  with 
great  joy  and  great  pleasure,  and  I  assure  you 
he  thinketh  of  no  other  sin  or  of  no  other  evil. 
And  when  the  hart  be  overcome  and  shall  be 
at  bay  he  shall  have  pleasure.  And  after,  when 
the  hart  is  spayed 2  and  dead,  he  undoeth  him 
and  maketh  his  curée  and  enquireth  or  rewardeth 
his  hounds,  and  so  he  shall  have  great  pleasure, 
and  when  he  cometh  home  he  cometh  joyfully, 
for  his  lord  hath  given  him  to  drink  of  his  good 
wine  at  the  curée,  and  when  he  has  come  home 

1  See  Appendix  :  Relays. 

2  Despatched  with  a  sword  or  knife.     See  Appendix  :  Spay. 


THE   PROLOGUE  n 

he  shall  doff  his  clothes  and  his  shoes  and  his  hose, 
and  he  shall  wash  his  thighs  and  his  legs,  and  per- 
adventure  all  his  body.  And  in  the  meanwhile 
he  shall  order  well  his  supper,  with  wortes  (roots) 
and  of  the  neck  of  the  hart  and  of  other  good 
meats,  and  good  wine  or  ale.  And  when  he  hath 
well  eaten  and  drunk  he  shall  be  glad  and  well, 
and  well  at  his  ease.  And  then  shall  he  take  the 
air  in  the  evening  of  the  night,  for  the  great  heat 
that  he  hath  had.  And  then  he  shall  go  and 
drink  and  lie  in  his  bed  in  fair  fresh  clothes, 
and  shall  sleep  well  and  steadfastly  all  the  night 
without  any  evil  thoughts  of  any  sins,  wherefore 
I  say  that  hunters  go  into  Paradise  when  they  die, 
and  live  in  this  world  more  joyfully  than  any  other 
men.  Yet  I  will  prove  to  you  how  hunters  live 
longer  than  any  other  men,  for  as  Hippocras 
the  doctor  telleth  :  "  full  repletion  of  meat  slayeth 
more  men  than  any  sword  or  knife."  They  eat 
and  drink  less  than  any  other  men  of  this  world, 
for  in  the  morning  at  the  assembly  they  eat  a  little, 
and  if  they  eat  well  at  supper,  they  will  by  the 
morning  have  corrected  their  nature,  for  then  they 
have  eaten  but  little,  and  their  nature  will  not 
be  prevented  from  doing  her  digestion,  whereby 
no  wicked  humours  or  superfluities  may  be  en- 
gendered. And  always,  when  a  man  is  sick,  men 
diet  him  and  give  him  to  drink  water  made  of 
sugar  and  tysane  and  of  such  things  for  two  or 


12  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

three   days    to  put    down  evil  humours  and   his 
superfluities,   and  also    make  him    void  (purge). 
But  for  a  hunter  one  need  not  do  so,  for  he  may 
have  no  repletion  on  account  of  the  little  meat, 
and  by  the  travail  that  he  hath.     And,  supposing 
that  which  can  not  be,  and  that  he  were  full  of 
wicked  humours,  yet  men  know  well  that  the  best 
way  to  terminate  sickness  that  can  be  is  to  sweat. 
And  when  the  hunters  do  their  office  on  horseback 
or  on  foot  they  sweat  often,  then  if  they  have  any 
evil  in  them,  it  must  (come)  away  in  the  sweating  ; 
so  that  he  keep  from  cold  after  the  heat.     There- 
fore  it    seemeth  to    me    I  have    proved  enough. 
Leeches   ordain   for  a   sick  man  little  meat  and 
sweating  for  the  terminating  and  healing  of  all 
things.     And  since  hunters  eat  little  and    sweat 
always,    they   should    live   long   and     in    health. 
Men  desire  in  this  world  to  live  long  in  health 
and  in  joy,  and  after  death  the  health  of  the  soul. 
And  hunters  have    all  these   things.     Therefore 
be  ye  all  hunters  and  ye  shall  do  as  wise  men. 
Wherefore  I  counsel  to  all  manner  of  folk  of  what 
estate  or  condition  that  they  be,  that  they  love 
hounds  and  hunting  and  the  pleasure  of  hunting 
beasts  of  one  kind  or  another,  or  hawking.     For 
to  be  idle  and  to  have  no  pleasure  in  either  hounds 
or  hawks  is  no  good  token.     For  as  saith  in  his 
book  Phœbus  the  Earl  of  Foix  that  noble  hunter,  he 
saw  never  a  good  man  that  had  not  pleasure  in 


THE    PROLOGUE  13 

some  of  these  things,  were  he  ever  so  great  and 
rich.  For  if  he  had  need  to  go  to  war  he  would 
not  know  what  war  is,  for  he  would  not  be  accus- 
tomed to  travail,  and  so  another  man  would  have 
to  do  that  which  he  should.  For  men  say  in  old 
saws  :  "  The  lord  is  worth  what  his  lands  are 
worth."  1  And  also  he  saith  in  the  aforesaid  book, 
that  he  never  saw  a  man  that  loved  the  work  and 
pleasure  of  hounds  and  hawks,  that  had  not  many 
good  qualities  in  him  ;  for  that  comes  to  him  of 
great  nobleness  and  gentleness  of  heart  of  what- 
ever estate  the  man  may  be,  whether  he  be  a  great 
lord,  or  a  little  one,  or  a  poor  man  or  a  rich  one. 

1  Gaston  de  Foix  says  :  "  Tant  vaut  seigneur  tant  vaut  sa 
gent  et  sa  terre,"  p.  9. 


CHAPTER  II 

OF  THE  HARE  AND  OF  HER  NATURE 

The  hare  is  a  common  beast  enough,  and  there- 
fore I  need  not  tell  of  her  making,  for  there  be 
few  men  that  have  not  seen  some  of  them.  They 
live  on  corn,  and  on  weeds  growing  on  waste  land, 
on  leaves,  on  herbs,  on  the  bark  of  trees,  on 
grapes  and  on  many  other  fruits.  The  hare  is  a 
good  little  beast,  and  much  good  sport  and  liking 
is  the  hunting  of  her,  more  than  that  of  any  other 
beast  that  any  man  knoweth,  if  he  1  were  not  so 
little.  And  that  for  five  reasons  :  the  one  is,  for 
her  hunting  lasteth  all  the  year  as  with  running 
hounds  without  any  sparing,  and  this  is  not  with 
all  the  other  beasts.  And  also  men  may  hunt  at 
her  both  in  the  morning  and  in  the  evening.  In 
the  eventide,  when  they  be  relieved,2  and  in  the 
morning,   when   they   sit  in    form.     And   of  all 

1  The  hare  was  frequently  spoken  of  in  two  genders  in  the 
same  sentence,  for  it  was  an  old  belief  that  the  hare  was  at 
one  time  male,  and  at  another  female.     See  Appendix  :  Hare. 

2  Means  here  :  when  the  hare  has  arisen  from  her  form  to 
go  to  her  feeding.  Fr.  relever.  G.  de  F.  explains,  p.  42  : 
un  lièvre  se  relieve  pour  aler  à  son  vianders.  Relief,  which 
denoted  the  act  of  arising  and  going  to  feed,  became  afterwards 
the  term  for  the  feeding  itself.     "A  hare  hath  greater  scent 

14 


THE  HARE  AND  HER  NATURE  15 

other  beasts  it  is  not  so,  for  if  it  rain  in  the 
morning  your  journey  is  lost,  and  of  the  hare  it 
is  not  so.  That  other  [reason]  is  to  seek  the 
hare  ;  it  is  a  well  fair  thing,  especially  who  so 
hunteth  her  rightfully,  for  hounds  must  need 
find  her  by  mastery  and  quest  point  by  point, 
and  undo  all  that  she  hath  done  all  the  night 
of  her  walking,  and  of  her  pasture  unto  the  time 
that  they  start  her.  And  it  is  a  fair  thing  when 
the  hounds  are  good  and  can  well  find  her.  And 
the  hare  shall  go  sometimes  from  her  sitting  to 
her  pasture  half  a  mile  or  more,  specially  in  open 
country.  And  when  she  is  started  it  is  a  fair 
thing.  And  then  it  is  a  fair  thing  to  slay  her 
with  strength  of  hounds,  for  she  runneth  long 
and  gynnously  (cunningly).  A  hare  shall  last  well 
four  miles  or  more  or  less,  if  she  be  an  old  male 
hare.  And  therefore  the  hunting  of  the  hare  is 
good,  for  it  lasteth  all  the  year,  as  I  have  said. 
And  the  seeking  is  a  well  fair  thing,  and  the 
chasing  of  the  hare  is  a  well  fair  thing,  and  the 
slaying  of  him  with  strength  (of  hounds)  is  a  fair 
thing,  for  it  requireth  great  mastery  on  account 
of  her  cunning.  When  a  hare  ariseth  out  of  her 
form  to  go  to  her  pasture  or  return  again  to  her 

and  is  more  eagerly  hunted  when  she  relieves  on  green  corn  " 
{Comp.  Sportsma?i,  p.  86).  It  possibly  was  used  later  to 
denote  the  excrements  of  a  hare  ;  thus  Blome  (1686)  p.  92, 
says  :  "  A  huntsman  may  judge  by  the  relief  and  feed  of  the 
hare  what  she  is." 


1 6  THE    MASTER    OF    GAME 

seat,  she  commonly  goes  by  one  way,  and  as  she 
goes  she  will  not  suffer  any  twig  or  grass  to  touch 
her,  for  she  will  sooner  break  it  with  her  teeth 
and  make  her  way.  Sometime  she  sitteth  a  mile 
or  more  from  her  pasturing,  and  sometimes  near 
her  pasture.  But  when  she  sitteth  near  it,  yet 
she  may  have  been  the  amount  of  half  a  mile 
or  more  from  there  where  she  hath  pastured,  and 
then  she  ruseth  again  from  her  pasture.  And 
whether  she  go  to  sit  near  or  far  from  her  pas- 
ture she  goes  so  gynnously  (cunningly)  and  wilily 
that  there  is  no  man  in  this  world  that  would 
say  that  any  hound  could  unravel  that  which  she 
has  done,  or  that  could  find  her.  For  she  will 
go  a  bow  shot  or  more  by  one  way,  and  ruse 
again  by  another,  and  then  she  shall  take  her  way 
by  another  side,  and  the  same  she  shall  do  ten, 
twelve,  or  twenty  times,  from  thence  she  will 
come  into  some  hedge  or  strength  (thicket),  and 
shall  make  semblance  to  abide  there,  and  then 
will  make  cross  roads  ten  or  twelve  times,  and 
will  make  her  ruses,  and  thence  she  will  take 
some  false  path,  and  shall  go  thence  a  great  way, 
and  such  semblance  she  will  make  many  times 
before  she  goeth  to  her  seat. 

The  hare  cannot  be  judged,  either  by  the  foot 
or  by  her  fumes  (excrements),  for  she  always 
crotieth  1  in  one  manner,  except  when  she  goeth 

1  Casting  her  excrements. 


THE   HARE   AND   HER   NATURE     17 

in  her  love  that  hunters  call  ryding  time,  for  then 
she  crotieth  her  fumes  more  burnt  (drier)  and 
smaller,  especially  the  male.  The  hare  liveth  no 
long  time,  for  with  great  pain  may  she  pass  the 
second 1  year,  though  she  be  not  hunted  or  slain. 
She  hath  bad  sight 2  and  great  fear  to  run  3  on 
account  of  the  great  dryness  of  her  sinews.  She 
windeth  far  men  when  they  seek  her.  When 
hounds  grede  of  her  (seek)  and  quest  her  she 
flieth  away  for  the  fear  that  she  hath  of  the 
hounds.  Sometimes  men  find  her  sitting  in  her 
form,  and  sometimes  she  is  bitten  (taken)  by 
hounds  in  her  form  before  she  starts.  They 
that  abide  in  the  form  till  they  be  found  are 
commonly  stout  hares,  and  well  running.  The 
hare  that  runneth  with  right  standing  ears  is 
but  little  afraid,  and  is  strong,  and  yet  when  she 
holdeth  one  ear  upright  and  the  other  laid  low 
on  her  ryge  (back),  she  feareth  but  little  the 
hounds.  An  hare  that  crumps  her  tail  upon  her 
rump  when   she  starteth  out  of  her  form   as  a 

1  A  mistake  of  the  old  scribes  which  occurs  also  in  other 
MSS.;  it  should,  of  course,  read  "  seventh  "  year.  G.  de  F.  has 
the  correct  version. 

2  G.  de  F.  says  :  "  She  hears  well  but  has  bad  sight,"  p.  43. 

3  "Fear  to  run"  is  a  mistake  occasioned  by  the  similarity 
of  the  two  old  French  words  "pouair,"  power,  and  "paour" 
or  fear.  In  those  of  the  original  French  MS.  of  G.  de  F. 
examined  by  us  it  is  certainly  "power"  and  not  "fear." 
Lavallée  in  his  introduction  says  the  same  thing.  See  Ap- 
pendix :  Hare. 

B 


1 8  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

coney  (does)  it  is  a  token  that  she  is  strong  and 
well  running.  The  hare  runneth  in  many  diverse 
manners,  for  some  run  all  they  are  able  a  whole 
two  miles  or  three,  and  after  run  and  ruse  again 
and  then  stop  still  when  they  can  no  more,  and 
let  themselves  be  bitten  (by  the  hounds),  although 
she  may  not  have  been  seen  all  the  day.  And 
sometimes  she  letteth  herself  be  bitten  the  first 
time  that  she  starteth,  for  she  has  no  more  might 
(strength).  And  some  run  a  ^little  while  and 
then  abide  and  squat,  and  that  they  do  oft. 
And  then  they  take  their  flight  as  long  as  they 
can  run  ere  they  are  dead.  And  some  be  that 
abide  till  they  are  bitten  in  their  form,  especially 
when  they  be  young  that  have  not  passed  half  a 
year.  Men  know  by  the  outer  side  of  the  hare's 
leg  if  she  has  not  passed  a  year.1  And  so  men 
should  know  of  a  hound,  of  a  fox,  and  of  a  wolf, 
by  a  little  bone  that  they  have  in  a  bone  which  is 
next  the  sinews,  where  there  is  a  little  pit  (cavity). 
Sometimes  when  they  are  hunted  with  hounds 
they  run  into  a  hole  as  a  coney,  or  into  hollow 
trees,  or  else  they  pass  a  great  river.  Hounds 
do  not  follow  some  hares  as  well  as  others,  for 
four  reasons.  Those  hares  who  be  begotten  of 
the  kind  of  a  coney,  as  some  be  in  warrens,  the 
hounds  lust  not,  nor  scenteth  them  not  so  well. 
The  other  (is)  that  the  fues  (footing)  of  some 
1  See  Appendix  :|Hare, 


THE  HARE  AND  HER  NATURE  19 

hares  carry  hotter  scent  than  some,  and  therefore 
the  hounds  scenteth  of  one  more  than  of  the 
other,  as  of  roses,  some  smell  better  than  others, 
and  yet  they  be  all  roses.  The  other  reason  is 
that  they  steal  away  ere  they  be  found,  and  the 
hounds  follow  always  forth  right.  The  others 
run  going  about  and  then  abide,1  wherefore  the 
hounds  be  often  on  stynt  (at  fault).  The  other 
(reason)  is  according  to  the  country  they  run  in, 
for  if  they  run  in  covert,  hounds  will  scent  them 
better  than  if  they  run  in  plain  (open)  country, 
or  in  the  ways  (paths),  for  in  the  covert  their 
bodies  touch  against  the  twigs  and  leaves,  because 
it  is  a  strong  (thick)  country.  And  when  they 
run  in  plain  country  or  in  the  fields  they  touch 
nothing,  but  with  the  foot,  and  therefore  the 
hound  can  not  so  well  scent  the  fues  of  them. 
And  also  I  say  that  some  country  is  more  sweet 
and  more  loving  (to  scent)  than  another.  The 
hare  abideth  commonly  in  one  country,  and  if 
she  hath  the  fellowship  of  another  or  of  her 
kyndels  or  leverettes,  they  be  five  or  six,  for 
no  strange  hare  will  they  suffer  to  dwell  in  their 
marches  (district),  though  they  be  of  their  nature 
(kind),2  and  therefore  men  say  in  old  saws  :   "  Who 

1  G.  de  F.  has:  "vonts  riotans  tournions  et  demourant,'' 
i.e.  run  rioting,  turning  and  stopping,  p.  44. 

2  Both  the  Vespasian  and  the  Shirley  MS.  in  the  British 
Museum  have  the  same,  but  G.  de  F.,  p.  45,  has,  "  except  those 
of  their  nature  "  {fors  que  celle  de  leur  nature). 


2o  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

so  hunteth  the  most  hares  shall  find  the  most." 
For  Phebus  the  Earl  of  Foix,  that  good  hunter, 
saith  that  when  there  be  few  hares  in  a  country 
they  should  be  hunted  and  slain,  so  that  the 
hares  of  other  countries  about  should  come  into 
that  march. 

Of  hares,  some  go  faster  and  be  stronger  than 
others,  as  it  is  of  men  and  other  beasts.  Also  the 
pasture  and  the  country  where  they  abide  helpeth 
much  thereto.  For  when  the  hare  abideth  and 
formeth  in  a  plain  country  where  there  are  no 
bushes,  such  hares  are  commonly  strongest  and 
well  running.  Also  when  they  pasture  on  two 
herbs — that  one  is  called  Soepol  (wild  thyme)  and 
that  other  be  Pulegium  (pennyroyal)  they  are 
strong  and  fast  running. 

The  hares  have  no  season  of  their  love  for,  as  I 
said,  it  is  called  ryding  time,  for  in  every  month 
of  the  year  that  it  shall  not  be  that  some  be  not 
with  kindles  (young).  Nevertheless,  commonly 
their  love  is  most  in  the  month  of  January,  and 
in  that  month  they  run  most  fast  of  any  time  of 
the  year,  both  male  and  female.  And  from  May 
unto  September  they  be  most  slow,  for  then  they 
be  full  of  herbs  and  of  fruits,  or  they  be  great 
and  full  of  kindles,  and  commonly  in  that  time 
they  have  their  kindles.  Hares  remain  in  sundry 
(parts  of  the)  country,  according  to  the  season  of 
the  year  ;  sometimes  they  sit  in  the  fern,  sometimes 


THE  HARE  AND  HER  NATURE  21 

in  the  heath,  sometimes  in  the  corn,  and  in  grow- 
ing weeds,  and  sometimes  in  the  woods.  In  April 
and  in  May  when  the  corn  is  so  long  that  they 
can  hide  themselves  therein,  gladly  will  they  sit 
therein.  And  when  men  begin  to  reap  the  corn 
they  will  sit  in  the  vines  and  in  other  strong  (thick) 
heaths,  in  bushes  and  in  hedges,  and  commonly  in 
cover  under  the  wind  and  in  cover  from  the  rain, 
and  if  there  be  any  sun  shining  they  will  gladly 
sit  against  the  beams  of  the  sun.  For  a  hare  of 
its  own  kind  knoweth  the  night  before  what 
weather  it  will  be  on  the  next  morrow,  and  there- 
fore she  keepeth  herself  the  best  way  she  may  from 
the  evil  weather.  The  hare  beareth  her  kindles 
two  months,1  and  when  they  are  kindled  she 
licketh  her  kindles  as  a  bitch  doeth  her  whelps. 
Then  she  runneth  a  great  way  thence,  and  goeth 
to  seek  the  male,  for  if  she  should  abide  with  her 
kindles  she  would  gladly  eat  them.  And  if  she 
findeth  not  the  male,  she  cometh  again  to  her 
kindles  a  great  while  after  and  giveth  them  to  suck, 
and  nourisheth  them  for  the  maintainance  of  20 
days  or  thereabouts.  A  hare  beareth  commonly 
2  kindles,  but  I  have  seen  some  which  have  kindled 
at  once  sometime  6,  sometime  5  or  4  or  2  ; 2  and 
but  she  find  the  male  within  three  days  from  the 

1  This  is  incorrect  :  the  hare  carries  her  young  thirty  days 
(Brehm,  vol.  ii.  p.  626;  Harting,  Ency.  of  Sport,  vol.  i. 
p.  504). 

2  Should  read  "three"  (G.  de  F.,  p.  47). 


22  THE   MASTER    OF   GAME 

time  she  hath  kindled,  she  will  eat  her  kindles. 
And  when  they  be  in  their  love  they  go  together 
as  hounds,  save  they  hold  not  together  as  hounds. 
They  kindle  often  in  small  bushes  or  in  little 
hedges,  or  they  hide  in  heath  or  in  briars  or  in 
corn  or  in  vines.  If  you  find  a  hare  which  has 
kindled  the  same  day,  and  the  hounds  hunt  after 
her,  and  if  you  come  thither  the  next  morrow  ye 
shall  find  how  she  has  removed  her  kindles,  and 
has  borne  them  elsewhere  with  her  teeth,  as  a  bitch 
doth  her  whelps.  Men  slay  hares  with  grey- 
hounds, and  with  running  hounds  by  strength,  as 
in  England,  but  elsewhere  they  slay  them  also  with 
small  pockets,  and  with  purse  nets,  and  with  small 
nets,  with. hare  pipes,  and  with  long  nets,  and  with 
small  cords  that  men  cast  where  they  make  their 
breaking  of  the  small  twigs  when  they  go  to  their 
pastures,  as  I  have  before  said.1  But,  truly,  I  trow 
no  good  hunter  would  slay  them  so  for  any  good. 
When  they  be  in  their  heat  of  love  and  pass  any 
place  where  conies  be,  the  most  part  of  them  will 
follow  after  her  as  the  hounds  follow  after  a  bitch 

or  a  brache. 

1  See  Appendix  :  Snares. 


W      si 


CHAPTER  III 

OF  THE  HART  AND  HIS  NATURE 

The  hart  is  a  common  beast  enough  and  therefore 
me  needeth  not  to  tell  of  his  making,  for  there  be 
few  folk  that  have  not  seen  some.  The  harts  be 
the  lightest  (swiftest)  beasts  and  strongest,  and 
of  marvellous  great  cunning.  They  are  in  their 
love,  which  men  call  rut,  about  the  time  of  the 
Holy  Rood 1  in  September  and  remain  in  their 
hot  love  a  whole  month  and  ere  they  be  fully  out 
thereof  they  abide  (in  rut)  nigh  two  months. 
And  then  they  are  bold,  and  run  upon  men  as  a 
wild  boar  would  do  if  he  were  hunted.  And  they 
be  wonderfully  perilous  beasts,  for  with  great  pain 
shall  a  man  recover  that  is  hurt  by  a  hart,  and 
therefore  men  say  in  old  saws  :  "  after  the  boar 
the  leech  and  after  the  hart  the  bier."  For  he 
smiteth  as  the  stroke  of  the  springole,2  for  he  has 
great  strength  in  the  head  and  the  body.  They 
slay,  fight  and  hurt  each  other,  when  they  be  in 
rut,  that  is  to  say  in  their  love,  and  they  sing  in 

1  September  14.     See  Appendix  :  Hart,  Seasons. 

2  An  engine  of  war  used  for  throwing  stones. 

23 


24  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

their  language  that  in  England  hunters  call  bellow- 
ing as  man  that  loveth  paramour.1  They  slay 
hounds  and  horses  and  men  at  that  time  and 
turn  to  the  abbay  (be  at  bay)  as  a  boar  does 
especially  when  they  be  weary.  And  yet  have 
men  seen  at  the  parting  of  their  ligging  (as  they 
start  from  the  lair) 2  that  he  hath  hurt  him  that 
followeth  after,  and  also  the  greyhounds3  and 
furthermore  a  courser.  And  yet  when  they  are 
in  rut,  which  is  to  say  their  love,  in  a  forest 
where  there  be  few  hinds  and  many  harts  or  male 
deer,  they  slay,  hurt  and  fight  with  each  other, 
for  each  would  be  master  of  the  hinds.  And 
commonly  the  greatest  hart  and  the  most  strong 
holdeth  the  rut  and  is  master  thereof.  And  when 
he  is  well  pured  and  hath  been  long  at  rut  all 
the  other  harts  that  he  hath  chased  and  flemed 
away  (put  to  flight)  from  the  rut  then  run  upon 
him  and  slay  him,  and  that  is  sooth.  And  in 
parks  this  may  be  proved,  for  there  is  never  a 
season  but  the  greatest  hart  will  be  slain  by  the 
others  not  while  he  is  at  the  rut,  but  when  he 
has  withdrawn  and  is  poor  of  love.  In  the  woods 
they  do  not  so  often  slay  each  other  as  they  do  in 

1  G.  de  F.,  p.  12.  "Ainsi  que  fet  un  homme  bien  amoureus  " 
("As  does  a  man  much  in  love)." 

2  This  word  ligging  is  still  in  use  in  Yorkshire,  meaning  lair, 
or  bed,  or  resting-place.  In  Devonshire  it  is  spelt  "layer." 
Fortescue,  p.  132. 

3  G.  de  F.,  p.  12,  has  "  limer"  instead  of  "greyhound." 


THE   HART   AND   HIS   NATURE     25 

the  plain  country.  And  also  there  are  divers 
ruts  in  the  forest,  but  in  the  parks  there  are  none 
but  that  are  within  the  park.1  After  that  they  be 
withdrawn  from  the  hinds  they  go  in  herds  and 
in  soppes  (troops)  with  the  rascal  (young  lean 
deer)  and  abide  in  (waste)  lands  and  in  heathes 
more  than  they  do  in  woods,  for  to  enjoy  the 
heat  of  the  sun,  they  be  poor  and  lean  for  the 
travail  they  have  had  with  the  hinds,  and  for  the 
winter,  and  the  little  meat  that  they  find.  After 
that  they  leave  the  rascal  and  gather  together 
with  two  or  three  or  four  harts  in  soppes  till  the 
month  of  March  when  they  mew  (shed)  their 
horns,  and  commonly  some  sooner  than  others,  if 
they  be  old  deer,  and  some  later  if  they  be  young 
deer,  or  that  they  have  had  a  hard  winter,  or  that 
they  have  been  hunted,  or  that  they  have  been 
sick,  for  then  they  mew  their  heads  and  later 
come  to  good  points.  And  when  they  have 
mewed  their  heads  they  take  to  the  strong  (thick) 
bushes  as  privily  as  they  may,  till  their  heads  be 
grown  again,  and  they  come  into  grease  ;  after 
that  they  seek  good  country  for  meating  (feeding) 

1  This  passage  is  confused.  In  G.  de  F.,  p.  12,  we  find  that 
the  passage  runs  :  "  Et  aussi  il  y  a  ruyt  en  divers  lieux  de  la 
forest  et  on  paix  ne  peut  estre  en  nul  lieu,  fors  que  dedans 
le  part."  Lavallée  translates  these  last  five  words,  "  C'est  à 
dire  qu'il  n'y  a  de  paix  que  lorsque  les  biches  sont  pleines." 
In  the  exceedingly  faulty  first  edition  by  Verard,  the  word 
"part"  is  printed  "pare"  as  it  is  in  our  MS. 


26  THE    MASTER   OF   GAME 

of  corn,  of  apples,  of  vines,  of  tender  growing 
trees,  of  peas,  of  beans,  and  other  fruits  and 
grasses  whereby  they  live.  And  sometimes  a 
great  hart  hath  another  fellow  that  is  called  his 
squire,  for  he  is  with  him  and  doth  as  he  will. 
And  so  they  will  abide  all  that  season  if  they  be 
not  hindered  until  the  last  end  of  August.  And 
then  they  begin  to  look,  and  to  think  and  to  bolne 
and  to  bellow  and  to  stir  from  the  haunt  in  which 
they  have  (been)  all  the  season,  for  to  go  seek 
the  hinds.  They  recover  their  horns  and  are 
summed  of  their  tines  as  many  as  they  shall  have 
all  the  year  between  March  when  they  mewed 
them  to  the  middle  of  June  ;  and  then  be  they 
recovered  of  their  new  hair  that  men  call  polished 
and  their  horns  be  recovered  with  a  soft  hair  that 
hunters  call  velvet  at  the  beginning,  and  under 
that  skin  and  that  hair  the  horn  waxes  hard  and 
sharp,  and  about  Mary  Magdalene  day  (July  22) 
they  fray  their  horns  against  the  trees,  and  have 
(rubbed)  away  that  skin  from  their  horns  and  then 
wax  they  hard  and  strong,  and  then  they  go  to 
burnish  and  make  them  sharp  in  the  colliers 
places  (charcoal  pits)  that  men  make  sometimes 
in  the  great  groves.  And  if  they  can  find  none 
they  go  against  the  corners  of  rocks  or  to  crabbe 
tree  or  to  hawthorn  or  other  trees.1 

1  G.  de  F.,  p.  14,  says  the  harts  go  to  gravel-pits  and  bogs 
to  fray. 


THE   HART   AND   HIS   NATURE     27 

They  be  half  in  grease  or  thereabouts  by  the 
middle  of  June  when  their  head  is  summed,  and 
they  be  highest  in  grease  during  all  August. 
Commonly  they  be  calved  in  May,  and  the  hind 
beareth  her  calf  nine  months  or  thereabout  as  a 
sow,1  and  sometimes  she  has  three2  calves  at  a 
calving  time.  And  I  say  not  that  they  do  not 
calve  sometime  sooner  and  sometime  later,  much 
according  to  causes  and  reasons.  The  calves  are 
calved  with  hair  red  and  white,  which  lasteth  them 
that  colour  into  the  end  of  August,  and  then  they 
turn  red  of  hair,  as  the  hart  and  the  hind.  And 
at  that  time  they  run  so  fast  that  a  hare3  should 
have  enough  to  do  to  overtake  him  within  the 
shot  of  an  haronblast  (cross-bow).  Many  men 
judge  the  deer  of  many  colours  of  hair  and 
especially  of  three  colours.  Some  be  called 
brown,  some  dun  and  some  yellow  haired.  And 
also  their  heads  be  of  divers  manners,  the  one  is 
called  a  head  well-grown,  and  the  other  is  called 
well  affeted,4  and  well  affeted  is  when  the  head 
has  waxed  by  ordinance  according  to  the  neck  and 


1  The  MS.  transcriber's  mistake.     It  should  be  "cow." 

2  G.  de  F.  has  "2  calves"  as  it  should  be. 

3  G.  de  F.  has  "greyhound,"  as  it  should  be  (p.  15)  :  "Et 
dès  lors  vont  ils  jà  si  tost  que  un  lévrier  a  assés  à  fere  de 
l'ateindre,  ainsi  comme  un  trait  d'arcbaleste  "  ("  And  from  that 
time  they  go  so  quickly  that  a  greyhound  has  as  much  to  do 
to  catch  him  as  he  would  the  bolt  from  a  crossbow)." 

4  Well  proportioned.     See  Appendix  :  Antler. 


28  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

shape,  when  the  tines  be  well  grown  in  the  beam 
by  good  measure,  one  near  the  other,  then  it  is 
called  well  affeted.  Well  grown  is  when  the 
head  is  of  great  beam  and  is  well  affeted  and 
thick  tined,  well  high  and  well  opened  (spread). 
That  other  head  is  called  counterfeit  (abnormal) 
when  it  is  different  and  is  otherwise  turned  behind 
or  wayward  in  other  manner  than  other  common 
deer  be  accustomed  to  bear.  That  other  high 
head  is  open,  evil  affeted.  with  long  tines  and 
few.  That  other  is  low  and  great  and  well 
affeted  with  small  tines.  And  the  first  tine  that 
is  next  the  head  is  called  antler,  and  the  second 
Royal  and  the  third  above,  the  Sur-royal,  and  the 
tines 1  which  be  called  fourth  if  they  be  two,  and 
if  they  be  three  or  four  or  more  be  called  troching. 
And  when  their  heads  be  burnished  at  the  colliers' 
pits  commonly  they  be  always  black,  and  also 
commonly  when  they  be  burnished  at  the  colliers' 
pits  they  be  black  on  account  of  the  earth  which 
is  black  of  its  kind.  And  when  they  are  burnished 
against  rock  they  abide  all  white,  but  some  have 
their  heads  naturally  white  and  some  black.  And 
when  they  be  about  to  burnish  they  smite  the 
ground  with  their  feet  and  welter  like  a  horse. 
And  then  they  burnish  their  heads,  and  when 
they  be  burnished  which  they  do  all  the  month 
of  July  they  abide  in  that  manner  till  the  feast  of 
1  Shirley  MS.  has  the  addition  here  :  "Which  be  on  top." 


THE   HART   AND   HIS   NATURE     29 

the  Holy  (Cross)  in  September   14th  and  then 
they  go  to  rut  as  I  have  said. 

And  the  first  year  that  they  be  calved  they  be 
called  a  Calf,  the  second  year  a  bullock  ;  and  that 
year  they  go  forth  to  rut  ;  the  third  year  a  brocket  ; 
the  fourth  year  a  staggard,  the  fifth  a  stag  ;  the 
sixth  year  a  hart  of  ten  1  and  then  first  is  he  chase- 
able,  for  always  before  shall  he  be  called  but  rascal 
or  folly.  Then  it  is  fair  to  hunt  the  hart,  for  it 
is  a  fair  thing  to  seek  well  a  hart,  and  a  fair  thing 
well  to  harbour  him,  and  a  fair  thing  to  move 
him,  and  a  fair  thing  to  hunt  him,  and  a  fair 
thing  to  retrieve  him,  and  a  fair  thing  to  be  at 
the  abbay,  whether  it  be  on  water  or  on  land.  A 
fair  thing  is  the  curée,2  and  a  fair  thing  to  undo 
him  well,  and  for  to  raise  the  rights.  And  a  well 
fair  thing  and  good  is  the  devision  3  and  it  be  a 
good  deer.  In  so  much  that  considering  all  things 
I  hold  that  it  is  the  fairest  hunting,  that  any  man 
may  hunt  after.  They  crotey  their  fumes  (cast 
their  excrements)  in  divers  manners  according  to 
the  time  and  season  and  according  to  the  pasture 
that  they  find,  now  black  or  dry  either  in  flat 
forms  or  engleymed  (glutinous)  or  pressed,  and 
in  many  other  divers  manners  the  which  I  shall 
more  plainly  devise  when  I  shall  declare  how  the 
hunter  shall  judge,  for  sometimes  they  misjudge 

1  In  modern  sporting  terms,  a  warrantable  deer. 

2  See  Appendix  :  Curée.  3  Should  be  :  venison. 


30  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

by  the  fumes  and  so  they  do  by  the  foot.  When 
they  crotey  their  fumes  flat  and  not  thick,  it  is  in 
April  or  in  May,  into  the  middle  of  June,  when  they 
have  fed  on  tender  corn,  for  yet  their  fumes  be 
not  formed,  and  also  they  have  not  recovered  their 
grease.  But  yet  have  men  seen  sometimes  a  great 
deer  and  an  old  and  high  in  grease,  which  about 
mid-season  crotey  their  fumes  black  and  dry.  And 
therefore  by  this  and  many  other  things  many 
men  may  be  beguiled  by  deer,  for  some  goeth 
better  and  are  better  running  and  fly  better  than 
some,  as  other  beasts  do,  and  some  be  more  cun- 
ning and  more  wily  than  others,  as  it  is  with  men, 
for  some  be  wiser  than  others.  And  it  cometh  to 
them  of  the  good  kind  of  their  father  and  mother, 
and  of  good  getting  (breeding)  and  of  good  nur- 
ture and  from  being  born  in  good  constellations, 
and  in  good  signs  of  heaven,  and  that  (is  the 
case)  with  men  and  all  other  beasts.  Men  take 
them  with  hounds,  with  greyhounds  and  with 
nets  and  with  cords,  and  with  other  harness,1 
with  pits  and  with  shot2  and  with  other  gins 
(traps)  and  with  strength,  as  I  shall  say  here- 
after. But  in  England  they  are  not  slain  ex  ce  ft 
with  hounds  or  with  shot  or  with  strength  of 
running   hounds. 

An  old  deer  is  wonder  wise  and  felle  (cunning) 


Harness,  appurtenances.     See  Appendix  :  Harness. 
Means  from  a  cross-bow  or  long-bow. 


THE   HART   AND   HIS   NATURE     31 

for  to  save  his  life,  and  to  keep  his  advantage 
when  he  is  hunted  and  is  uncoupled  to,  as  the 
lymer  moveth  him  or  other  hounds  findeth  him 
without  lymers,  and  if  he  have  a  deer  (with  him) 
that  be  his  fellow  he  leaveth  him  to  the  hounds, 
so  that  he  may  warrant  (save)  himself,  and  let  the 
hounds  enchase  after  that  other  deer.  And  he 
will  abide  still,  and  if  he  be  alone  and  the  hounds 
find  him,  he  shall  go  about  his  haunt  wilily  and 
wisely  and  seek  the  change  of  other  deer,  for 
to  make  the  hounds  envoise,1  and  to  look  where 
he  may  abide.  And  if  he  cannot  abide  he  taketh 
leave  of  his  haunt  and  beginneth  to  fly  there  where 
he  wots  of  other  change  and  then  when  he  has 
come  thither  he  herdeth  among  them  and  some- 
times he  goeth  away  with  them.  And  then  he 
maketh  a  ruse  on  some  side,  and  there  he  stalleth 
or  squatteth  until  the  hounds  be  forth  after  the 
other  (deer)  the  which  be  fresh,  and  thus  he 
changeth  so  that  he  may  abide.  And  if  there  be 
any  wise  hounds,  the  which  can  bodily  enchase 
him  from  the  change,  and  he  seeth  that  all  can 
not  avail,  then  he  beginneth  to  show  his  wiles  and 
ruseth  to  and  fro.  And  all  this  he  doth  so  that 
the  hounds  should  not  rind  his  fues  (tracks)  in 
intent  that  he  may  be  freed  from  them  and  that 
he  may  save  himself. 

Sometimes  he  fleeth  forth  with  the  wind  and 
1  Go  off  the  scent. 


32  THE    MASTER   OF   GAME 

that  for  three  causes,  for  when  he  fleeth  against 
the  wind  it  runneth  into  his  mouth  and  dryeth  him 
and  doth  him  great  harm.  Therefore  he  fleeth 
oft  forth  with  the  wind  so  that  he  may  always 
hear  the  hounds  come  after  him.  And  also  that 
the  hounds  should  not  scent  nor  find  him,  for  his 
tail  is  in  the  wind  and  not  his  nose.1  Also,  that 
when  the  hounds  be  nigh  him  he  may  wind  them 
and  hye  him  well  from  them.  But  nevertheless 
his  nature  is  for  the  most  fart  to  flee  ever  on  the 
wind  till  he  be  nigh  overcome,  or  at  the  last  side- 
ways to  the  wind  so  that  it  be  aye  (ever)  in  his 
nostrils.  And  when  he  shall  hear  that  they  be  far 
from  him,  he  hieth  him  not  too  fast.  And  when 
he  is  weary,  and  hot,  then  he  goeth  to  yield,  and 
soileth  to  some  great  river.  And  some  time  he 
foils  down  in  the  water  half  a  mile  or  more  ere 
he  comes  to  land  on  any  side.  And  that  he  doeth 
for  two  reasons,  the  one  is  to  make  himself  cold, 
and  for  to  refresh  himself  of  the  great  heat  that 
he  hath,  the  other  is  that  the  hounds  and  the 
hunter  may  not  come  after  him  nor  see  his  fues 
in  the  water,  as  they  do  on  the  land.  And  if  in 
the  country  (there)  is  no  great  river  he  goeth  then 
to  the  little  (one)  and  shall  beat  up  the  water  or 

1  This  should  read  as  G.  de  F.  has  it  (p.  20)  :  "  Et  aussi  affin 
que  les  chiens  ne  puissent  bien  assentir  de  luy,  quar  ilz  auront 
la  Cueue  au  vent  et  non  pas  le  nez"  ("And  also  that  the 
hounds  shall  not  be  able  to  wind  him,  as  they  will  have  their 
tails  in  the  wind  and  not  their  noses  "). 


THE   HART   AND   HIS   NATURE     33 

foil  down  the  water  as  he  liketh  best  for  the  main- 
tenance (extent)  of  a  mile  or  more  ere  he  come 
to  land,  and  he  shall  keep  himself  from  touching 
any  of  the  brinks  or  branches  but  always  (keep) 
in  the  middle  of  the  water,  so  that  the  hounds 
should  not  scent  of  him.  And  all  that  doth  he 
for  two  reasons  before  said. 

And  when  he  can  find  no  rivers  then  he  draweth 
to  great  stanks1  and  meres  or  to  great  marshes. 
And  he  fleeth  then  mightily  and  far  from  the 
hounds,  that  is  to  say  that  he  hath  gone  a  great  way 
from  them,2  then  he  will  go  into  the  stank,  and 
will  soil  therein  once  or  twice  in  all  the  stank 
and  then  he  will  come  out  again  by  the  same 
way  that  he  went  in,  and  then  he  shall  ruse  again 
the  same  way  that  he  came  (the  length  of)  a 
bow  shot  or  more,  and  then  he  shall  ruse  out 
of  the  way,  for  to  stall  or  squatt  to  rest  him, 
and  that  he  doeth  for  he  knoweth  well  that  the 
hounds  shall  come  by  the  fues  into  the  stank 
where  he  was.  And  when  they  should  find  that 
he  has  gone  no  further  they  will  seek  him  no 
further,  for  they  will  well  know  that  they  have 
been  there  at  other  times. 

An  hart  liveth  longest  of  any  beast  for  he  may 

1  Ponds,  pools.     See  Appendix  :  Stankes. 

2  G.  de  F.,  p.  21  :  "Et  s'il  fuit  de  fort  longe  aux  chiens, 
c'est  à  dire  que  il  les  ait  bien  esloinhés."  See  Appendix  : 
"  Forlonge." 

C 


34  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

well  live  an  hundred  years  1  and  the  older  he  is 
the  fairer  he  is  of  body  and  of  head,  and  more 
lecherous,  but  he  is  not  so  swift,  nor  so  light, 
nor  so  mighty.  And  many  men  say,  but  I  make 
no  affirmation  upon  that,  when  he  is  right  old  he 
beateth  a  serpent  with  his  foot  till  she  be  wrath, 
and  then  he  eateth  her  and  then  goeth  to  drink, 
and  then  runneth  hither  and  thither  to  the  water 
till  the  venom  be  mingled  together  and  make  him 
cast  all  his  evil  humours  that  he  had  in  his  body, 
and  maketh  his  flesh  come  all  new.2  The  head  of 
the  hart  beareth  medicine  against  the  hardness  of 
the  sinews  and  is  good  to  take  away  all  aches,  espe- 
cially when  these  come  from  cold  :  and  so  is  the 
marrow.  They  have  a  bone  within  the  heart 
which  hath  great  medicine,  for  it  comforteth  the 
heart,  and  helpeth  for  the  cardiac,  and  many  other 
things  which  were  too  long  to  write,  the  which 
bear  medicine  and  be  profitable  in  many  diverse 
manners.  The  hart  is  more  wise  in  two  things 
than  is  any  man  or  other  beast,  the  one  is  in 
tasting  of  herbs,  for  he  hath  better  taste  and  better 
savour  and  smelleth  the  good  herbs  and  leaves 
and  other  pastures  and  meating  the  which  be 
profitable  to  him,  better  than  any  man  or  beast. 
The  other  is  that  he  hath  more  wit  and  malice 

1  Most  old  writers  on  the  natural  history  of  deer  repeat  this 
fable.     See  Appendix  :  Hart. 

2  See  Appendix  :  Hart. 


THE    HART   AND   HIS   NATURE     35 

(cunning)  to  save  himself  than  any  other  beast 
or  man,  for  there  is  not  such  a  good  hunter  in 
the  world  that  can  think  of  the  great  malice  and 
gynnes  (tricks  or  ruses)  that  a  hart  can  do,  and 
there  is  no  such  good  hunter  nor  such  good 
hounds,  but  that  many  times  fail  to  slay  the  hart, 
and  that  is  by  his  wit  and  his  malice  and  by  his 
gins. 

As  of  the  hinds  some  be  barren  and  some  bear 
calves,  of  those  that  be  barren  their  season  begin- 
neth  when  the  season  of  the  hart  faileth  and 
lasteth  till  Lent.  And  they  which  bear  calves, 
in  the  morning  when  she  shall  go  to  her  lair  she 
will  not  remain  with  her  calf,  but  she  will  hold 
(keep)  him  and  leave  him  a  great  way  from  her, 
and  smiteth  him  with  the  foot  and  maketh  him 
to  lie  down,  and  there  the  calf  shall  remain  always 
while  the  hind  goeth  to  feed.  And  then  she 
shall  call  her  calf  in  her  language  and  he  shall 
come  to  her.  And  that  she  doeth  so  that  if  she 
were  hunted  her  calf  might  be  saved  and  that  he 
should  not  be  found  near  her.  The  harts  have 
more  power  to  run  well  from  the  entry  of  May 
into  St.  John's  tide  1  than  any  other  time,  for  then 
they  have  put  on  new  flesh  and  new  hair  and  new 
heads,  for  the  new  herbs  and  the  new  coming  out 
(shoots)  of  trees  and  of  fruits  and  be  not  too 
heavy,  for  as  yet  they  have  not  recovered  their 
1  Nativity  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  June  24. 


36  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

grease,1  neither  within  nor  without,  nor  their 
heads,  wherefore  they  be  much  lighter  and  swifter. 
But  from  St.  John's  into  the  month  of  August 
they  wax  always  more  heavy.  Their  skin  is  right 
good  for  to  do  many  things  with  when  it  is  well 
tawed  and  taken  in  good  season.  Harts  that 
be  in  great  hills,  when  it  cometh  to  rut,  some- 
times they  come  down  into  the  great  forests  and 
heaths  and  to  the  launds  (uncultivated  country) 
and  there  they  abide  all  the  winter  until  the 
entering  of  April,  and  then  they  take  to  their 
haunts  for  to  let  their  heads  wax,  near  the  towns 
and  villages  in  the  plains  there  where  they  find 
good  feeding  in  the  new  growing  lands.  And 
when  the  grass  is  high  and  well  waxen  they  with- 
draw into  the  greatest  hills  that  they  can  find  for 
the  fair  pastures  and  feeding  and  fair  herbs  that 
be  thereupon.  And  also  because  there  be  no  flies 
nor  any  other  vermin,  as  there  be  in  the  plain 
country.  And  also  so  doth  the  cattle  which 
come  down  from  the  hills  in  winter  time,  and 
in  the  summer  time  draw  to  the  hills.  And  all 
the  time  from  rutting  time  into  Whitsunday 
great  deer  and  old  will  be  found  in  the  plains, 
but  from  Whitsunday 2  to  rutting  time  men  shall 
find  but  few  great  deer  save  upon  the  hills,  if  there 

1  See  Appendix  :  Grease. 

a  This  sentence  reads  somewhat  confusedly  in  our  MS.,  so 
I  have  taken  this  rendering  straight  from  G.  de  F.,  p.  23. 


THE    HART    AND    HIS    NATURE     37 

are  any  (hills)  near  or  within  four  or  five  miles,  and 
this  is  truth  unless  it  be  some  young  deer  calved 
in  the  plains,  but  of  those  that  come  from  the 
hills  there  will  be  none.  And  every  day  in  the 
heat  of  the  day,  and  he  be  not  hindered,  from  May 
to  September,  he  goes  to  soil  though  he  be  not 
hunted. 


CHAPTER   IV 

OF    THE    BUCK     AND    OF    HIS    NATURE 

A  buck  is  a  diverse  beast,  he  hath  not  his  hair 
as  a  hart,  for  he  is  more  white,  and  also  he  hath 
not  such  a  head.  He  is  less  than  a  hart  and 
is  larger  than  a  roe.  A  buck's  head  is  palmed 
with  a  long  palming,  and  he  beareth  more  tines 
than  doth  a  hart.  His  head  cannot  be  well  de- 
scribed without  painting.  They  have  a  longer 
tail  than  the  hart,  and  more  grease  on  their 
haunches  than  a  hart.  They  are  fawned  in  the 
month  of  June  and  shortly  to  say  they  have  the 
nature  of  the  hart,  save  only  that  the  hart  goeth 
sooner  to  rut  and  is  sooner  in  his  season  again, 
also  in  all  things  of  their  kind  the  hart  goeth 
before  the  buck.  For  when  the  hart  hath  been 
fifteen  days  at  rut  the  buck  scarcely  beginneth  to 
be  in  heat  and  bellow. 

And  also  men  go  not  to  sue  him  with  a  lymer, 
nor  do  men  go  to  harbour  him  as  men  do  to  the 
hart.  Nor  are  his  fumes  put  in  judgment  as 
those  of  the  hart,  but  men  judge  him  by  the  foot 

other    head  as  I  shall  say  more  plainly  hereafter. 

38 


mtMM 


« 


roiiuc  ou  mm  rr  romme  lay; 
Oirôurccf  .jjrirlcsfoîts  erpar 
pnps  ou  U  U  (f  ntfclcm  que  Itlhr 
lomTfS 0)>:  :i;î flruiou^    cr : 
ttiio.'r  œs  \tvj  a  ipics  la  ou  k 


la ftr  w>  ce  ructtet  UuuerS  ctut 
Ir  'tr-:  Tir  U  cfrgjr/ftttf  Irflt  jjf 
rrfltcpulpoitt.erpour 
l«5iHtïrçnr(rcquil  arquicufr. 
Zfuttoatruifmn  gaueslon 
patinent ûttma  ainirr.^r 
pua  •ccqucoiuietcdaftrafbi 
u:  uc  u  nageurs  De  tufutfuic. 
necruneurs  neixrincium 
te  tarer,  u  lucnTmm^.rardr 
ta  nature  a#«  affe,*  parlera 
9fuanr. 


V.V 


BUCK-HUNTING   WITH    RUNNING    HOUNDS 
(From  MS.  f.  fr.  616,  j5/A  AW.,  Paris) 


THE   BUCK   AND   HIS   NATURE     39 

They  crotey  their  fumes  in  diverse  manners 
according  to  the  time  and  pasture,  as  doth  the 
hart,  but  oftener  black  and  dry  than  otherwise. 
When  they  are  hunted  they  bound  again  into 
their  coverts  and  fly  not  so  long  as  doth  the  hart, 
for  sometimes  they  run  upon  the  hounds.1  And 
they  run  long  and  fly  ever  if  they  can  by  the  high 
ways  and  always  with  the  change.  They  let 
themselves  be  taken  at  the  water  and  beat  the 
brooks  as  a  hart,  but  not  with  such  great  malice 
as  the  hart,  nor  so  gynnously  (cunningly)  and  also 
they  go  not  to  such  great  rivers  as  the  hart. 
They  run  faster  at  the  beginning  than  doth  the 
hart.  They  bolk  (bellow)  about  when  they  go 
to  rut,  not  as  a  hart  doth,  but  much  lower  than 
the  hart,  and  rattling  in  the  throat.  Their  nature 
and  that  of  the  hart  do  not  love  (to  be)  together, 
for  gladly  would  they  not  dwell  there  where  many 
harts  be,  nor  the  harts  there  where  the  bucks  be 
namely  together  in  herds.  The  buck's  flesh  is 
more  savoury 2  than  is  that  of  the  hart  or  of  the 
roebuck.  The  venison  of  them  is  right  good  if 
kept  and  salted  as  that  of  the  hart.     They  abide 

1  They  do  not  make  such  a  long  flight  as  the  red  deer  but 
by  ringing  return  to  the  hounds. 

2  G.  de  F.,  p.  29,  completes  the  sense  of  this  sentence  by 
saying  that  "the  flesh  of  the  buck  is  more  savoury  to  all 
hounds  than  that  of  the  stag  or  of  the  roe,  and  for  this  reason 
it  is  a  bad  change  to  hunt  the  stag  with  hounds  which  at 
some  other  time  have  eaten  buck." 


4o  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

oft  in  a  dry  country  and  always  commonly  in 
herd  with  other  bucks.  Their  season  lasteth 
from  the  month  of  May  into  the  middle  of 
September.  And  commonly  they  dwell  in  a  high 
country  where  there  be  valleys  and  small  hills. 
He  is  undone  as  the  hart. 


CHAPTER    V 

OF    THE    ROE    AND     OF    HIS     NATURE 

The  roebuck  is  a  common  beast  enough,  and 
therefore  I  need  not  to  tell  of  his  making,  for 
there  be  few  men  that  have  not  seen  some  of  them. 
It  is  a  good  little  beast  and  goodly  for  to  hunt  to 
whoso  can  do  it  as  I  shall  devise  hereafter,  for 
there  be  few  hunters  that  can  well  devise  his 
nature.  They  go  in  their  love  that  is  called 
bokeyng  in  October,1  and  the  bucking  of  them 
lasteth  but  fifteen  days  or  there  about.  At  the 
bucking  of  the  roebuck  he  hath  to  do  but  with 
one  female  for  all  the  season,  and  a  male  and  a 
female  abide  together  as  the  hinds  2  till  the  time 
that  the  female  shall  have  her  kids  ;  and  then  the 
female  parteth  from  the  male  and  goeth  to  kid 
her  kids  far  from  thence,  for  the  male  would 
slay  the  young  if  he  could  find  them.  And  when 
they  be  big  that  they  can  eat  by  themselves  of  the 
herbs  and  of  the  leaves  and  can  run  away,  then 

1  This  is  wrong  ;  they  rut  in  the  beginning  of  August.     See 
Appendix  :  Roe. 

2  A  clerical  error.     G.  de  F.  (p.  36)  says,  "as  do  birds," 
which  makes  good  sense. 


42  THE    MASTER   OF   GAME 

the  female  cometh  again  to  the  male,  and  they 
shall  ever  be  together  unless  they  be  slain,  and  if 
one  hunt  them  and  part  them  asunder  one  from 
another,  they  will  come  together  again  as  soon  as 
they  can  and  will  seek  each  other  until  the  time 
that  one  of  them  have  found  the  other.  And  the 
cause  why  the  male  and  the  female  be  evermore 
together  as  no  other  beast  in  this  world,  is  that 
commonly  the  female  hath  two  kids  at  once, 
one  male  and  the  other  female,  and  because  they 
are  kidded  together  they  hold  evermore  together. 
And  yet  if  they  were  not  kidded  together  of  one 
female,  yet  is  the  nature  of  them  such  that  they 
will  always  hold  together  as  I  have  said  before. 
When  they  withdraw  from  the  bucking,  they  mew 
their  heads,  for  men  will  find  but  few  roebucks 
that  have  passed  two  years  that  have  not  mewed 
their  heads  by  All  Hallowtide.  And  after  the 
heads  come  again  rough  as  a  hart's  head,  and 
commonly  they  burnish  their  horns  in  March. 
The  roebuck  hath  no  season  to  be  hunted,  for 
they  bear  no  venison  1  but  men  should  leave  them 
the  females  for  their  kids  that  would  be  lost  unto 
the  time  that  they  have  kidded,  and  that  the  kids 
can  feed  themselves  and  live  by  themselves  with- 
out their  dame.  It  is  good  hunting  for  it  lasteth 
all  the  year  and  they  run  well,  and  longer  than 
does  a  great  hart  in  high  season  time.     Roebucks 

1  See  Appendix  :  Grease. 


THE   ROE   AND    HIS   NATURE      43 

cannot  be  judged  by  their  fumes,  and  but  little  by 
their  track  as  one  can  of  harts,  for  a  man  cannot 
know  the  male  from  the  female  by  her  feet  or  by 
her  fumes. 

They  have  not  a  great  tail  and  do  not  gather 
venison  as  I  have  said,  the  greatest  grease  that  they 
may  have  within  is  when  the  kidneys  be  covered 
all  white.  When  the  hounds  hunt  after  the  roe- 
buck they  turn  again  into  their  haunts  and  some- 
times turn  again  to  the  hounds.1  When  they  see 
that  they  cannot  dure 2  (last)  they  leave  the  country 
and  run  right  long  ere  they  be  dead.  And  they 
run  in  and  out  a  long  time  and  beat  the  brooks  in 
the  same  way  a  hart  doth.  And  if  the  roebuck 
were  as  fair  a  beast  as  the  hart,  I  hold  that  it 
were  a  fairer  hunting  than  that  of  the  hart,  for 
it  lasteth  all  the  year  and  is  good  hunting  and 
requires  great  mastery,  for  they  run  right  long 
and  gynnously  (cunningly).  Although  they  mew 
their  heads  they  do  not  reburnish  them,  nor  repair 
their  hair  till  new  grass  time.  It  is  a  diverse 
(peculiar)  beast,  for  it  doth  nothing  after  the 
nature  of  any  other  beast,  and  he  followeth  men 
into  their  houses,  for  when  he  is  hunted  and  over- 
come he  knoweth  never  where  he  goeth.  The 
flesh  of  the  roebuck  is  the  most  wholesome  to  eat 

1  "They  ring  about  in  their  own  country,  and  often  bound 
back  to  the  hounds"  would  be  a  better  translation.. 

2  From  the  French  durer,  to  last. 


44  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

of  any  other  wild  beast's  flesh,  they  live  on  good 
herbs  and  other  woods  and  vines  and  on  briars 
and  hawthorns  1  with  leaves  and  on  all  growth  of 
young  trees.  When  the  female  has  her  kids  she 
does  all  in  the  manner  as  I  have  said  of  a  hind. 
When  they  be  in  bucking  they  sing  a  right  foul 
song,  for  it  seemeth  as  if  they  were  bitten  by 
hounds.  When  they  run  at  their  ease  they  run 
ever  with  leaps,  but  when  they  be  weary  or  followed 
by  hounds  they  run  naturally  and  sometimes  they 
trot  or  go  apace,  and  sometimes  they  hasten  and 
do  not  leap,  and  then  men  say  that  the  roebuck 
hath  lost  his  leaps,  and  they  say  amiss,  for  he  ever 
leaves  off  leaping  when  he  is  well  hasted  and  also 
when  he  is  weary. 

When  he  runneth  at  the  beginning,  as  I  have 
said,  he  runneth  with  leaps  and  with  rugged 
standing  hair  and  the  ères 2  (target)  and  the  tail 
cropping  up  all  white. 

And  when  he  hath  run  long  his  hair  lyeth  sleek 
down,  not  standing  nor  rugged  and  his  eres 
(target)  does  not  show  so  white. 

And  when  he  can  run  no  longer  he  cometh  and 
yieldeth  himself  to  some  small  brook,  and  when 
he  hath  long  beaten  the  brook  upward  or  down- 
ward he  remaineth  in  the  water  under  some  roots 
so  that  there  is  nothing  out  of  water  save  his  head. 


1  G.  de  F.  says  "  acorns." 

*  Middle  English  ars^  hinder  parts  called 


target  of  roebuck. 


THE   ROE   AND   HIS   NATURE      45 

And  sometimes  the  hounds  and  the  hunters  shall 
pass  above  him  and  beside  him  and  he  will  not  stir. 
For  although  he  be  a  foolish  beast  he  has  many 
ruses  and  treasons  to  help  himself.  He  runneth 
wondrous  fast,  for  when  he  starts  from  his  lair  he 
will  go  faster  than  a  brace  of  good  greyhounds. 
They  haunt  thick  coverts  of  wood,  or  thick  heathes, 
and  sometimes  in  carres  (marshes)  and  commonly 
in  high  countries  or  in  hills  and  valleys  and  some- 
times in  the  plains. 

The  kids  are  kidded  with  pomeled  1  (spotted) 
hair  as  are  the  hind  calves.  And  as  a  hind's  calf 
of  the  first  year  beginneth  to  put  out  his  head,  in 
the  same  wise  does  he  put  out  his  small  brokes 2 
(spikes)  ere  he  be  a  twelvemonth  old.  He  is 
hardeled 3  but  not  undone  as  a  hart,  for  he  has  no 
venison  that  men  should  lay  in  salt.  And  some- 
times he  is  given  all  to  the  hounds,  and  sometimes 
only  a  part.  They  go  to  their  feeding  as  other 
beasts  do,  in  the  morning  and  in  the  evening,  and 
then  they  go  to  their  lair.  The  roebuck  remains 
commonly  in  the  same  country  both  winter  and 
summer    if   he    be    not    grieved   or    hunted    out 

thereof. 

1  From  the  old  French  fiomelé. 

2  See  Appendix  :  Roe. 

3  See  Appendix  :  Hardel. 


CHAPTER    VI 

OF    THE    WILD    BOAR    AND    OF    HIS    NATURE 

A  wild  boar  is  a  common  beast  enough  and  there- 
fore it  needeth  not  to  tell  of  his  making,  for  there 
be  few  gentlemen  that  have  not  seen  some  of  them. 
It  is  the  beast  of  this  world  that  is  strongest  armed, 
and  can  sooner  slay  a  man  than  any  other.  Neither 
is  there  any  beast  that  he  could  not  slay  if  they 
were  alone  sooner  than  that  other  beast  could  slay 
him,1  be  they  lion  or  leopard,  unless  they  should 
leap  upon  his  back,  so  that  he  could  not  turn  on 
them  with  his  teeth.  And  there  is  neither  lion 
nor  leopard  that  slayeth  a  man  at  one  stroke  as 
a  boar  doth,  for  they  mostly  kill  with  the  raising 
of  their  claws  and  through  biting,  but  the  wild 
boar  slayeth  a  man  with  one  stroke  as  with  a  knife, 
and  therefore  he  can  slay  any  other  beast  sooner 
than  they  could  slay  him.     It  is  a  proud 2  beast 

1  In  spite  of  the  boar  being  such  a  dangerous  animal  a 
wound  from  his  tusk  was  not  considered  so  fatal  as  one  from 
the  antlers  of  a  stag.  An  old  fourteenth-century  saying  was  : 
"  Pour  le  sanglier  faut  le  mire,  mais  pour  le  cerf  convient  la 
bière." 

2  Proud.     G.  de  F.,  p.  56,  orguilleuse.    G.  de  F.,  p.  57,  says 

after  this  that  he  has  often  himself  been  thrown  to  the  ground, 

46 


WILD   BOAR   AND   HIS   NATURE     47 

and  fierce  and  perilous,  for  many  times  have  men 
seen  much  harm  that  he  hath  done.  For  some 
men  have  seen  him  slit  a  man  from  knee  up  to  the 
breast  and  slay  him  all  stark  dead  at  one  stroke 
so  that  he  never  spake  thereafter. 

They  go  in  their  love  to  the  brimming  1  as  sows 
do  about  the  feast  of  St.  Andrew,2  and  are  in 
their  brimming  love  three  weeks,  and  when  the 
sows  are  cool  the  boar  does  not  leave  them.3 

He  stays  with  them  till  the  twelfth  day  after 
Christmas,  and  then  the  boar  leaves  the  sows  and 
goeth  to  take  his  covert,  and  to  seek  his  liveli- 
hood alone,  and  thus  he  stays  until  the  next  year 
when  he  goeth  again  to  the  sows.  They  abide 
not  in  one  place  one  night  as  they  do  in  another, 
but  they  find  their  pasture  for  (till)  all  pastures 
fail  them  as  hawthorns 4  and  other  things.  Some- 
times a  great  boar  has  another  with  him  but  this 
happens  but  seldom.  They  farrow 5  in  March, 
and  once  in  the  year  they  go  in  their  love.     And 

he  with  his  courser,  by  a  wild  boar  and  the  courser  killed  ("  et 
moy  meismes  a  il  porté  moult  de  fois  à  terre  moy  et  mon 
coursier,  et  mort  le  coursier  "). 

1  Brimming.  From  Middle  English  ôrz'me,  burning  heat. 
It  was  also  used  in  the  sense  of  valiant-spirited  (Stratmann). 

2  November  30. 

3  G.  de  F.,  p.  57,  adds  :  "  comme  fait  l'ours." 

*  A  badly  worded  phrase,  the  meaning  of  which  is  not  quite 
clear.  G.  de  F.  has  "acorns  and  beachmast"  instead  of 
hawthorns. 

5  Farrow.     See  Appendix  :  Wild  Boar. 


48  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

there  are  few  wild  sows  that  farrow  more  than 
once  in  the  year,  nevertheless  men  have  seen  them 
farrow  twice  in  the  year. 

Sometimes  they  go  far  to  their  feeding  between 
night  and  day,  and  return  to  their  covert  and  den 
ere  it  be  day.  But  if  the  day  overtakes  them 
on  the  way  ere  they  can  get  to  their  covert  they 
will  abide  in  some  little  thicket  all  that  day  until 
it  be  night.  They  wind  a  man1  as  far  as  any 
other  beast  or  farther.  They  live  on  herbs  and 
flowers  especially  in  May,  which  maketh  them 
renew2  their  hair  and  their  flesh.  And  some 
good  hunters  of  beyond  the  sea  say  that  in  that  time 
they  bear  medicine  on  account  of  the  good  herbs 
and  the  good  flowers  that  they  eat,  but  thereupon 
I  make  no  affirmation.  They  eat  all  manner  of 
fruits  and  all  manner  of  corn,  and  when  these  fail 
them  they  root 3  in  the  ground  with  the  rowel  of 
their  snouts  which  is  right  hard  ;  they  root  deep 
in  the  ground  till  they  find  the  roots  of  the  ferns 
and  of  the  spurge  and  other  roots  of  which  they 
have  the  savour  (scent)  in  the  earth.  And  there- 
fore have  I  said  they  wind  wonderfully  far  and 
marvellously  well.  And  also  they  eat  all  the 
vermin  and  carrion  and  other  foul  things.     They 

1  G.  de  F.,  p.  58,  says  they  wind  acorns  as  well  or  better 
than  a  bear,  but  nothing  about  winding  a  man.  See  Appendix  : 
Wild  Boar. 

2  From  F.  renouveler.  3  See  Appendix  :  Wild  Boar. 


WILD   BOAR   AND   HIS  NATURE     49 

have  a  hard  skin  and  strong  flesh,  especially  upon 
their  shoulders  which  is  called  the  shield.  Their 
season  begins  from  the  Holy  Cross  day  in  Sep- 
tember 1  to  the  feast  of  St.  Andrew 2  for  then  they 
go  to  the  brimming  of  the  sows.  For  they  are 
in  grease  when  they  be  withdrawn  from  the  sows. 
The  sows  are  in  season  from  the  brimming  time 
which  is  to  say  the  tzvelfth  day  after  Christmas  till 
the  time  when  they  have  farrowed.  The  boars 
turn  commonly  to  bay  on  leaving  their  dens  for 
the  pride  that  is  in  them,  and  they  run  upon  some 
hounds  and  at  men  also.  But  when  the  boar  is 
heated,  or  wrathful,  or  hurt,  then  he  runneth  upon 
all  things  that  he  sees  before  him.  He  dwelleth 
in  the  strong  wood  and  the  thickest  that  he  can 
find  and  generally  runneth  in  the  most  covered 
and  thickest  way  so  that  he  may  not  be  seen  as  he 
trusteth  not  much  in  his  running,  but  only  in  his 
defence  and  in  his  desperate  deeds.3  He  often 
stops  and  turns  to  bay,  and  especially  when  he  is  at 
the  brimming  and  hath  a  little  advantage  before 
the  hounds  of  the  first  running,  and  these  will 
never  overtake  him  unless  other  new  hounds  be 
uncoupled  to  him. 

He  will  well  run  and  fly  from  the  sun  rising  to 
the  going  down  of  the  sun,  if  he  be  a  young  boar 

1  September  14.  2  November  30. 

3  Despiteful  or  furious  deeds.  G.  de  F.,  p.  60,  says  that  he 
only  trusts  in  his  defences  and  his  weapons  ("en  sa  défense 
et  en  ses  armes  "). 

D 


5o  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

of  three  years  old.  In  the  third  March  counting 
that  in  which  he  was  farrowed,  he  parteth  from  his 
mother  and  may  well  engender  at  the  year's  end.1 

They  have  four  tusks,  two  in  the  jaw  above  and 
two  in  the  nether  jaw  ;  of  small  teeth  speak  not 
I,  the  which  are  like  other  boar's  teeth.  The  two 
tusks  above  serve  for  nothing  except  to  sharpen 
his  two  nether  tusks  and  make  them  cut  well  and 
men  beyond  the  sea  call  the  nether  tusks  of  the 
boar  his  arms  or  his  files,  with  these  they  do  great 
harm,  and  also  they  call  the  tusks  above  gres2 
(grinders)  for  they  only  serve  to  make  the  others 
sharp  as  I  have  said,  and  when  they  are  at  bay  they 
keep  smiting  their  tusks  together  to  make  them 
sharp  and  cut  better.  When  men  hunt  the  boar 
they  commonly  go  to  soil  and  soil  in  the  dirt  and  if 
they  be  hurt  the  soil  is  their  medicine.  The  boar 
that  is  in  his  third  year  or  a  little  more  is  more 
perilous  and  more  swift  and  doth  more  harm  than 
an  old  boar,  as  a  young  man  more  than  an  old 
man.  An  old  boar  will  be  sooner  dead  than  a 
young  one  for  he  is  proud  and  heavier  and  deigneth 
not  to  fly,  and  sooner  he  will  run  upon  a  man  than 
fly,  and  smiteth  great  strokes  but  not  so  perilously 
as  a  young  boar. 

A  boar  heareth  wonderfully  well  and  clearly, 

1  As  this  is  somewhat  confused  we  have  followed  G.  de  F.'s 
text  in  the  modern  rendering. 

2  From  the  French  grès,  grinding-stone  or  grinders. 


WILD   BOAR   AND   HIS   NATURE     51 

and  when  he  is  hunted  and  cometh  out  of  the 
forest  or  bush  or  when  he  is  so  hunted  that  he  is 
compelled  to  leave  the  country,  he  sorely  dreads 
to  take  to  the  open  country  and  to  leave  the 
forest,1  and  therefore  he  puts  his  head  out  of  the 
wood  before  he  puts  out  his  body,  then  he  abideth 
there  and  harkeneth  and  looketh  about  and  taketh 
the  wind  on  every  side.  And  if  that  time  he 
seeth  anything  that  he  thinks  might  hinder  him 
in  the  way  he  would  go,  then  he  turneth  again 
into  the  wood.  Then  will  he  never  more  come 
out  though  all  the  horns  and  all  the  holloaing  of 
the  world  were  there.  But  when  he  has  under- 
taken the  way  to  go  out  he  will  spare  for  nothing 
but  will  hold  his  way  throughout.  When  he 
fleeth  he  maketh  but  few  turnings,  but  when  he 
turneth  to  bay,  and  then  he  runneth  upon  the 
hounds  and  upon  the  man.  And  for  no  stroke 
or  wound  that  men  do  him  will  he  complain  or 
cry,  but  when  he  runneth  upon  the  men  he 
menaceth,  strongly  groaning.  But  while  he  can 
defend  himself  he  defendeth  himself  without 
complaint,  and  when  he  can  no  longer  defend 
himself  there  be  few  boars  that  will  not  complain 
or  cry  out  when  they  are  overcome  to  the  death.2 

1  G.  de  F.,  p.  60,  has  "  fortress"  instead  of  "forest." 

2  After  the  word  "  death  "  a  full  stop  should  occur,  for  in  this 
MS.  and,  singularly  enough,  also  in  the  Shirley  MS.  the  follow- 
ing words  have  been  omitted  :  "  They  drop  their  lesses," 
continuing  f'as  other  swine  do." 


S  2  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

They  drop  their  lesses  (excrements)  as  other 
swine  do,  according  to  their  pasture  being  hard 
or  soft. 

But  men  do  not  take  them  to  the  curée  nor 
are  they  judged  as  of  the  hart  or  other  beasts  of 
venery. 

A  boar  can  with  great  pain  live  twenty  years  ; 
he  never  casts  his  teeth  nor  his  tusks  nor  loses 
them  unless  by  a  stroke.1  The  boar's  grease  is 
good  as  that  of  other  tame  swine,  and  their  flesh 
also.  Some  men  say  that  by  the  foreleg  of  a  boar 
one  can  know  how  old  he  is,  for  he  will  have  as 
many  small  pits  in  the  forelegs  as  he  has  years, 
but  of  this  I  make  no  affirmation.  The  sows  lead 
about  their  pigs  with  them  till  they  have  farrowed 
twice  and  no  longer,  and  then  they  chase  their 
first  pigs  away  from  them  for  by  that  time  they 
be  two  years  old  and  three  Marches  counting  the 
March  in  which  they  were  farrowed.2  In  short 
they  are  like  tame  sows,  excepting  that  they  farrow 
but  once  in  a  year  and  the  tame  sows  farrow  twice. 
When  they  be  wroth  they  run  at  both  men  and 
hounds  and  other  beasts  as  (does)  the  wild  boar 
and  if  they  cast  down  a  man  they  abide  longer 
upon  him  than  doeth  a  boar,  but  she  cannot  slay 


1  At  this  point  G.  de  F.,  p.  61,  adds  :  "  One  says  of  all  biting 
beasts  the  trace,  and  of  red  beasts  foot  or  view,  and  one  can 
call  both  one  or  the  other  the  paths  or  the  fues." 

2  See  Appendix  :  Wild  Boar. 


WILD   BOAR   AND    HIS   NATURE     s 3 

a  man  as  soon  as  a  boar  for  she  has  not  such  tusks 
as  the  boar,  but  sometimes  they  do  much  harm 
by  biting.  Boars  and  sows  go  to  soil  gladly  when 
they  go  to  their  pasture,  all  day  and  when  they 
return  they  sharpen  their  tusks  and  cut  against 
trees  when  they  rub  themselves  on  coming  from 
the  soil.  What  men  call  a  trip  of  tame  swine  is 
called  of  wild  swine  a  sounder,  that  is  to  say  if 
there  be  passed  a  five  or  six  together. 


CHAPTER   VII 

OF    THE    WOLF    AND     OF    HIS    NATURE 

A  wolf  is  a  common  beast  enough  and  there- 
fore I  need  not  tell  of  his  make,  for  there  are 
few  men  beyond  the  sea,  that  have  not  seen  some 
of  them.  They  are  in  their  love  in  February 
with  the  females  and  then  be  jolly  and  do  in  the 
manner  as  hounds  do,  and  be  in  their  great  heat 
of  love  ten  or  twelve  days,  and  when  the  bitch 
is  in  greatest  heat  then  if  there  are  any  wolves 
in  the  country  they  all  go  after  her  as  hounds 
do  after  a  bitch  when  she  is  jolly.  But  she  will 
not  be  lined  by  any  of  the  wolves  save  by  one. 
She  doth  in  such  a  wise  that  she  will  lead  the 
wolves  for  about  six  or  eight  days  without  meat 
or  drink  and  without  sleep  for  they  have  so  great 
courage  towards  her,  that  they  have  no  wish  to 
eat  nor  to  drink,  and  when  they  be  full  weary 
she  lets  them  rest  until  the  time  that  they  sleep, 
and  then  she  claweth  him  with  her  foot  and 
waketh  him  that  seemeth  to  have  loved  her  most, 
and  who  hath  most  laboured  for  her  love,  and 
then  they  go  a  great  way  thence  and  there  he 
lines  her.     And  therefore  men  say  beyond  the  seas 


THE    WOLF   AND    HIS   NATURE     55 

in  some  countries  when  any  woman  doth  amiss, 
that  she  is  like  to  the  wolf  bitch  for  she  taketh 
to  her  the  worst  and  the  foulest  and  the  most 
wretched  and  it  is  truth  that  the  bitch  of  the 
wolf  taketh  to  her  the  foulest  and  most  wretched, 
for  he  hath  most  laboured  and  fasted  1  for  her 
and  is  most  poor,  most  lean  and  most  wretched. 
And  this  is  the  cause  why  men  say  that  the  wolf 
saw  never  his  father  and  it  is  truth  sometimes 
but  not  always,  for  it  happeneth  that  when  she 
has  brought  the  wolf  that  she  loveth  most  as  I 
have  said,  and  when  the  other  wolves  awaken 
they  follow  anon  in  her  track,  and  if  they  can 
find  the  wolf  and  the  bitch  holding  together  then 
will  all  the  other  wolves  run  upon  him  and  slay 
him,  and  all  this  is  truth  in  this  case.  But  when 
in  all  the  country  there  is  but  one  wolf  and  one 
bitch  of  his  kind  then  this  rule  cannot  be  truth. 

And  sometimes  peradventure  the  other  wolves 
may  be  awake  so  late  that  if  the  wolf  is  not  fast 
with  the  bitch  or  peradventure  he  hath  left  her 
then  he  fleeth  away  from  the  other  wolves,  so 
they  slay  him  not  so  in  this  case  the  first  opinion 
is  not  true. 

They  may  get  young  whelps  at  the  year's  end, 
and  then  they  leave  their  father  and  their  mother. 
And  sometimes  before  they   are   twelve  months 

1  G.  de  F.,  p.  63,  has  :  "  Pource  qu'il  a  plus  travaillé  et  plus 
jeune  que  n'ont  les  autres." 


S  6  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

old  if  so  be  that  their  teeth  are  fully  grown  after 
their  other  small  teeth  which  they  had  first,  for 
they  teethe  twice  in  the  year  when  they  are  whelps. 
The  first  teeth  they  cast  when  they  are  half  a 
year  old  and  also  their  hooks.  Then  other  teeth 
come  to  them  which  they  bear  all  their  life-time 
and  never  cast.  When  these  are  full  grown  again 
then  they  leave  their  father  and  mother  and  go  on 
their  adventures,  but  notwithstanding  that  they 
go  far  they  do  not  bide  long  away  from  each 
other  and  if  it  happens  that  they  meet  with  their 
father  and  with  their  mother  the  which  hath 
nourished  them  they  will  make  them  joy  and 
great  reverence  alway.  And  also  I  would  have 
you  know  that  when  a  bitch  and  a  wolf  of  her 
kind  hath  fellowship  together  they  generally  stay 
evermore  together,  and  though  they  sometimes 
go  to  seek  their  feeding  the  one  far  from  the 
other  they  will  be  together  at  night  if  they  can 
or  at  the  farthest  at  the  end  of  three  days.  And 
such  wolves  in  fellowship  together  get  meat  for 
their  whelps  the  father  as  well  as  the  mother, 
save  only  that  the  wolf  eateth  first  his  fill  and 
then  bears  the  remnant  to  his  whelps.  The  bitch 
does  not  do  so  for  she  beareth  all  her  meat  to  her 
whelps  and  eateth  with  them.  And  if  the  wolf 
is  with  the  whelps  when  the  mother  cometh  and 
she  bringeth  anything  and  the  wolf  has  not 
enough  he  taketh  the  feeding  from  her  and  her 


THE   WOLF   AND    HIS   NATURE     57 

whelps,  and  eateth  his  fill  first,  and  then  he 
leaveth  them  the  remnant,  if  there  be  any,  and  if 
there  be  not  any  left  they  die  of  hunger,  if  they 
will,  for  he  recketh  but  little  so  that  his  belly  be 
full.  And  when  the  mother  seeth  that,  and  has 
been  far  to  seek  her  meat  she  leaveth  her  meat 
a  great  way  thence  for  her  whelps,  and  then  she 
cometh  to  see  if  the  wolf  is  with  them,  and  if  he 
be  there  she  stayeth  till  he  be  gone  and  then  she 
bringeth  them  her  meat.  But  also  the  wolf  is 
so  malicious  that  when  he  seeth  her  come  without 
food  he  goeth  and  windeth  her  muzzle  and  if  he 
windeth  she  hath  brought  anything  he  taketh  her 
by  the  teeth  and  biteth  her  so  that  she  must 
show  him  where  she  hath  left  her  food.  And 
when  the  bitch  perceiveth  that  the  wolf  doth 
this  when  she  returneth  to  her  whelps  she  keepeth 
in  the  covert  and  doth  not  show  herself  if  she 
perceiveth  that  the  wolf  is  with  them,  and  if  he 
be  there  she  hideth  herself  until  the  time  he  hath 
gone  to  his  prey  on  account  of  his  great  hunger, 
and  when  he  is  gone  she  brings  her  whelps  her 
food  for  to  eat.     And  this  is  truth. 

Some  men  say  that  she  bathes  her  body  and  her 
head  so  that  the  wolf  should  wind  nothing  of  her 
feeding  when  she  cometh  to  them,  but  of  this  I 
make  no  affirmation. 

There  be  other  heavy  wolves  of  this  nature,  the 
which  be  not  so  in  fellowship,  they  do  not  help 


58  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

the  bitch  to  nourish  the  whelps  but  when  a  wolf 
and  a  bitch  are  in  fellowship  and  there  are  no 
wolves  in  that  country  by  very  natural  smelling  he 
knoweth  well  that  the  whelps  are  his  and  there- 
fore he  helpeth  to  nourish  them  but  not  well.  At 
the  time  that  she  hath  whelps  the  wolf  is  fattest 
in  all  the  year,  for  he  eateth  and  taketh  all  that 
the  bitch  and  whelps  should  eat.  The  bitch 
beareth  her  whelps  nine  weeks  and  sometimes 
three  or  four  days  more.  Once  in  the  year  they 
are  in  their  love  and  are  jolly.  Some  men  say 
that  the  bitches  bear  no  whelps  while  their 
mother  liveth,  but  thereof  I  make  no  affirmation. 
The  bitches  of  them  have  their  whelps  as  other 
tame  bitches,  sometimes  more,  sometimes  less. 
They  have  great  strength  especially  before  (fore- 
quarters),  and  evil 1  they  be  and  strong,  for  some- 
times a  wolf  will  slay  a  cow  or  a  mare  and  he 
hath  great  strength  in  his  mouth.  Sometime  he 
will  bear  in  his  mouth  a  goat  or  a  sheep  or  a 
young  hog  and  not  touch  the  ground  (with  it), 
and  shall  run  so  fast  with  it  that  unless  mastiffs 
or  men  on  horseback  happen  to  run  before  him 
neither  the  shepherds  nor  no  other  man  on  foot 
will  ever  overtake  him.  They  live  on  all  manner 
of  flesh  and  on  all  carrion  and  all  kinds  of  vermin. 
And  they  live  not  long  for  they  live  not  more 
than  thirteen  or  fourteen  years.  Their  biting  is 
1  G.  de  F.,  p.  66,  has  "evil  biting." 


THE    WOLF   AND    HIS   NATURE     59 

evil  and  venomous  on  account  of  the  toads  and 
other  vermin  that  they  eat.  They  go  so  fast 
when  they  be  void  (are  empty)  that  men  have  let 
run  four  leashes  of  greyhounds,  one  after  the 
other  and  they  could  not  overtake  him,  for  he 
runs  as  fast  as  any  beast  in  the  world,  and  he  lasts 
long  running,  for  he  has  a  long  breath.  When 
he  is  long  hunted  with  running  hounds  he  fleeth 
but  little  from  them,  but  if  the  greyhounds  or 
other  hounds  press  him,  he  fleeth  all  the  covert 1 
as  a  boar  does  and  commonly  he  runs  by  the  high 
ways.  And  commonly  he  goeth  to  get  his  liveli- 
hood by  night,  but  sometimes  by  day,  when  he 
is  sore  ahungered.  And  there  be  some  (wolves) 
that  hunt  at  the  hart,  at  the  wild  boar  and  at  the 
roebuck,  and  windeth  as  far  as  a  mastiff,  and 
taketh  hounds  when  they  can.  There  are  some 
that  eat  children  and  men  and  eat  no  other  flesh 
from  the  time  that  they  be  acherned  2  (blooded) 
by  men's  flesh,  for  they  would  rather  be  dead. 
They  are  called  wer-wolves,  for  men  should  be- 
ware of  them,  and  they  be  so  cautious  that  when 
they  assail  a  man  they  have  a  holding  upon  him 
before  the  man  can  see  them,  and  yet  if  men  see 
them  they  will  come  upon  them  so  gynnously 
(cunningly)  that  with  great  difficulty  a  man  will 
escape  being  taken  and  slain,  for  they  can  wonder 

1  He  keeps  to  the  coverts. 

2  Acherned,  from  O.  Fr.  acharné,  to  blood,  from  chair,  flesh. 


6o  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

well  keep  from  any  harness  (arms)  that  a  man 
beareth.  There  are  two  principal  causes  why 
they  attack  men  ;  one  is  when  they  are  old  and 
lose  their  teeth  and  their  strength,  and  cannot 
carry  their  prey  as  they  were  wont  to  do,  then 
they  mostly  go  for  children,  which  are  not  diffi- 
cult to  take  for  they  need  not  carry  them  about 
but  only  eat  them.  And  the  child's  flesh  is  more 
tender  than  is  the  skin  or  flesh  of  a  beast.  The 
other  reason  is  that  when  they  have  been  acharned 
(blooded)  in  a  country  of  war,  where  battles  have 
been,  they  eat  dead  men.  Or  if  men  have  been 
hanged  or  have  been  hanged  so  low  that  they 
may  reach  thereto,  or  when  they  fall  from  the 
gallows.  And  man's  flesh  is  so  savoury  and  so 
pleasant  that  when  they  have  taken  to  man's  flesh 
they  will  never  eat  the  flesh  of  other  beasts, 
though  they  should  die  of  hunger.  For  many 
men  have  seen  them  leave  the  sheep  they  have 
taken  and  eat  the  shepherd.  It  is  a  wonderfully 
wily  and  gynnous  (cunning)  beast,  and  more  false 
than  any  other  beast  to  take  all  advantage,  for 
he  will  never  fly  but  a  little  save  when  he  has 
need,  for  he  will  always  abide  in  his  strength 
(stronghold),  and  he  hath  good  breath,  for  every 
day  it  is  needful  to  him,  for  every  man  that  seeth 
him  chaseth  him  away  and  crieth  after  him. 
When  he  is  hunted  he  will  fly  all  day  unless  he  is 
overset  by  greyhounds.     He  will   gladly   go  to 


THE    WOLF   AND   HIS   NATURE     61 

some  village  or  in  a  brook,  he  will  be  little  at  bay 
except  when  he  can  go  no  further.  Sometimes 
wolves  go  mad  and  when  they  bite  a  man  he  will 
scarcely  get  well,  for  their  biting  is  wonderfully 
venomous  on  account  of  the  toads  they  have 
eaten  as  I  have  said  before,  and  also  on  account  of 
their  madness.  And  when  they  are  full  or  sick 
they  feed  on  grasses  as  a  hound  does  in  order  to 
purge  themselves.  They  stay  long  without  meat 
for  a  wolf  can  well  remain  without  meat  six  days 
or  more.  And  when  the  wolfs  bitch  has  her 
whelps  commonly  she  will  do  no  harm  near 
where  she  has  them,  for  fear  she  hath  to  lose 
them.  And  if  a  wolf  come  to  a  fold  of  sheep 
if  he  may  abide  any  while  he  will  slay  them  all 
before  he  begins  to  eat  any  of  them.  Men  take 
them  beyond  the  sea  with  hounds  and  greyhounds 
with  nets  and  with  cords,  but  when  he  is  taken 
in  nets  or  cords  he  cutteth  them  wonderfully  fast 
with  his  teeth  unless  men  get  quickly  to  him  to 
slay  him.  Also  men  take  them  within  pits  and 
with  needles  *  and  with  haussepieds  2  or  with  veno- 
mous powders  that  men  give  them  in  flesh,  and 
in  many  other  manners.  When  the  cattle  come 
down  from  the  hills  the  wolves  come  down  also 
to  get  their  livelihood.     They  follow  commonly 

1  Needles.     See  Appendix  :  Snares. 

2  Aucepis  (Shirley    MS.).     G.  de    F.,  p.  69:   haussepicz,  a 
snare  by  which  they  were  jerked  from  the  ground  by  a  noose. 


62  THE    MASTER   OF   GAME 

after  men  of  arms  for  the  carrion  of  the  beasts 
or  dead  horses  or  other  things.  They  howl  like 
hounds  and  if  there  be  but  two  they  will  make 
such  a  noise  as  if  there  were  a  route  of  seven  or 
eight  if  it  is  by  night,  when  the  weather  is  clear 
and  bright,  or  when  there  are  young  wolves  that 
have  not  yet  passed  their  first  year.  When  men 
lay  trains  to  acharne  (with  flesh)  so  as  to  take 
them,  they  will  rarely  come  again  to  the  place 
where  men  have  put  the  flesh,  especially  old 
wolves,  leastways  not  the  first  time  that  they 
should  eat.  But  if  they  have  eaten  two  or  three 
times,  and  they  are  assured  that  no  one  will  do 
them  harm,  then  sometimes  they  will  abide.  But 
some  wolves  be  so  malicious  that  they  will  eat  in 
the  night  and  in  the  day  they  will  go  a  great  way 
thence,  two  miles  or  more,  especially  if  they  have 
been  aggrieved  in  that  place,  or  if  they  feel  that 
men  have  made  any  train  with  flesh  for  to  hunt 
at  them.  They  do  not  complain  (cry  out)  when 
men  slay  them  as  hounds  do,  otherwise  they  be 
most  like  them.  When  men  let  run  greyhounds 
at  a  wolf  he  turns  to  look  at  them,  and  when  he 
seeth  them  he  knoweth  which  will  take  him,  and 
then  he  hasteneth  to  go  while  he  can,  and  if  they 
be  greyhounds  which  dare  not  take  him,  the  wolf 
knows  at  once,  and  then  he  will  not  hasten  at  his 
first  going.  And  if  men  let  run  at  him  from  the 
side,  or  before  more  greyhounds  which  will  seize 


THE   WOLF   AND   HIS   NATURE     63 

him,  when  the  wolf  seeth  them,  and  he  be  full, 
he  voideth  both  before  and  behind  all  in  his 
running  so  as  to  be  more  light  and  more  swift. 
Men  cannot  nurture  a  wolf,  though  he  be  taken 
ever  so  young  and  chastised  and  beaten  and  held 
under  discipline,  for  he  will  always  do  harm,  if  he 
hath  time  and  place  for  to  do  it,  he  will  never  be 
so  tame,  but  that  when  men  leave  him  out  he 
will  look  hither  and  thither  to  see  if  he  may  do 
any  harm,  or  he  looks  to  see  if  any  man  will  do 
him  any  harm.  For  he  knoweth  well  and  woteth 
well  that  he  doth  evil,  and  therefore  men  ascrieth 
(cry  at)  and  hunteth  and  slayeth  him.  And  yet 
for  all  that  he  may  not  leave  his  evil  nature. 

Men  say  that  the  right  fore  foot  of  the  wolf  is 
good  for  medicine  for  the  evil  of  the  breast  and 
for  the  botches  (sores)  which  come  to  swine  under 
the  shoulder.1  And  also  the  liver  of  the  wolf 
dried  is  good  for  a  man's  liver,  but  thereof  I 
make  no  affirmation,  for  I  would  put  in  my  book 
nothing  but  very  truth.  The  wolfs  skin  is  warm 
to  make  cuffs  or  pilches  (pelisses),  but  the  fur 
thereof  is  not  fair,  and  also  it  stinketh  ever  unless 
it  be  well  tawed.2 

1  This  should  be  "jaw."  G.  de  F.,  p.  70,  has  maisselles,  i.e. 
Mâchoires. 

2  Prepared.  Tawing  is  a  process  of  making  hides  into  leather 
— somewhat  different  from  tanning.  There  were  tawers  and 
tanners. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

OF    THE    FOX    AND    OF    HIS    NATURE 

The  fox  is  a  common  beast  and  therefore  I  need 
not  tell  of  his  making  and  there  be  but  few  gentle- 
men that  have  not  seen  some.  He  hath  many 
such  conditions  as  the  wolf,  for  the  vixen  of  the 
fox  bears  as  long  as  the  bitch  of  the  wolf  bears 
her  whelps,  sometimes  more  sometimes  less,  save 
that  the  vixen  fox  whelpeth  under  the  earth 
deeper  than  doth  the  bitch  of  the  wolf.  The 
vixen  of  the  fox  is  a  saute 1  (in  heat)  once  in  the 
year.  She  has  a  venomous  biting  like  a  wolf  and 
their  life  is  no  longer  than  a  wolf's  life.  With 
great  trouble  men  can  take  a  fox,  especially  the 
vixen  when  she  is  with  whelps,  for  when  she  is 
with  whelps  and  is  heavy,  she  always  keeps  near 
her  hole,  for  sometimes  she  whelpeth  in  a  false  hole 
and  sometimes  in  great  burrows  and  sometimes  in 
hollow  trees ,  and  therefore  she  draweth  always  near 
her  burrow,  and  if  she  hears  anything  anon  she 
goeth  therein  before  the  hounds  can  get  to  her. 
She  is  a  false  beast  and  as  malicious  as  a  wolf. 

1  The    term    used    by    Turbervile    (p.    188)   is    "goeth    a 

clicqueting." 

64 


THE    FOX   AND    HIS   NATURE      65 

The  hunting  for  a  fox  is  fair  for  the  good  cry  of 
the  hounds  *  that  follow  him  so  nigh  and  with  so 
good  a  will.  Always  they  scent  of  him,  for  he 
flies  through  the  thick  wood  and  also  he  stinketh 
evermore.  And  he  will  scarcely  leave  a  covert 
when  he  is  therein,  he  taketh  not  to  the  plain 
(open)  country  for  he  trusteth  not  in  his  running 
neither  in  his  defence,  for  he  is  too  feeble,  and  if 
he  does,  it  is  because  he  is  (forced  to)  by  the 
strength  of  men  and  hounds.  And  he  will  always 
hold  to  covert,  and  if  he  can  only  find  a  briar  to 
cover  himself  with,  he  will  cover  himself  with 
that.  When  he  sees  that  he  cannot  last,  then  he 
goeth  to  earth  the  nearest  he  can  find  which  he 
knoweth  well  and  then  men  may  dig  him  out  and 
take  him,  if  it  is  easy  digging,  but  not  among  the 
rocks.2     If  greyhounds  give  him  many  touches  and 

1  G.  de  F.,  p.  72,  says,  "  because  the  hounds  hunt  him  closely." 

2  Our  MS.  only  gives  this  one  chapter  on  the  fox,  while 
Gaston  Phcebus  has  another:  Comment  on  doit  chassier  et 
prendre  le  renard.  In  this  he  gives  directions  as  to  earth- 
stopping,  and  taking  him  in  pursenets,  and  smoking  him  out 
with  "orpiment  and  sulphur  and  nitre  or  saltpetre."  He  says 
January,  February,  and  March  are  the  best  months  for  hunt- 
ing, as  the  leaf  is  off  the  trees  and  the  coverts  are  clearer,  so 
that  the  hounds  have  more  chance  of  seeing  the  fox  and  hunt 
him  closer.  He  says  that  one-third  of  the  hounds  should  be 
put  in  to  draw  the  covert,  and  the  others  in  relays  should  guard 
the  boundaries  and  paths,  to  be  slipped  as  required.  Although 
this  is  a  Frenchman's  account  of  fox-hunting,  we  have  no  reason 
to  believe  that  the  fox  was  treated  at  that  period  better  by 
English  sportsmen,  for  until  comparatively  recent  times  the 
fox  was  accounted  vermin,  and  any  means  by  which  his  death 

E 


66  THE    MASTER   OF   GAME 

overset  him,  his  last  remedy,  if  he  is  in  an  open 
country,  will  be  that  he  vishiteth  gladly  (the  act 
of  voiding  excrements)  so  that  the  greyhounds 
should  leave  him  for  the  stink  of  the  dirt,  and 
also  for  the  fear  that  he  hath. 

A  little  greyhound  is  very  hardy  when  (if)  he 
takes  a  fox  by  himself,  for  men  have  seen  great 
greyhounds  which  might  well  take  a  hart  and  a 
wild  boar  and  a  wolf  and  would  let  the  fox  go. 
And  when  the  vixen  is  assaute,  and  goeth  in  her 
love  to  seek  the  dog  fox  she  crieth  with  a  hoarse 
voice  as  a  mad  hound  doth,  and  also  when  she 
calleth  her  whelps  when  she  misses  any  of  them, 
she  calleth  in  the  same  way.  The  fox  does  not 
complain  (cry)  when  men  slay  him,  but  he  defend- 
eth  himself  with  all  his  power  while  he  is  alive. 
He  liveth  on  all  vermin  and  all  carrion  and  on 
foul  worms.  His  best  meat  that  he  most  loveth 
are  hens,  capons,  duck  and  young  geese  and  other 
wild  fowls  when  he  can  get  them,  also  butterflies 
and  grasshoppers,  milk  and  butter.  They  do 
great  harm  in  warrens  of  coneys  and  of  hares  which 

could  be  encompassed  were  considered  legitimate,  his  exter- 
mination being  the  chief  object  in  hunting  him,  and  not  the 
sport.  Even  as  late  as  the  seventeenth  century  we  find  that 
such  treatment  was  considered  justifiable  towards  a  fox,  for, 
as  Macaulay  tells  us,  Oliver  St.  John  told  the  Long  Parliament 
that  Strafford  was  to  be  regarded,  not  as  a  stag  or  a  hare,  to 
whom  some  law  was  to  be  given,  but  as  a  fox,  who  was  to  be 
snared  by  any  means,  and  knocked  on  the  head  without  pity 
(vol.  i.  p.  149). 


THE   FOX   AND   HIS   NATURE     67 

they  eat,  and  take  them  so  gynnously  (cunningly) 
and  with  great  malice  and  not  by  running.  There 
be  some  that  hunt  as  a  wolf1  and  some  that  go 
nowhere  but  to  villages  to  seek  the  prey  for  their 
feeding.  As  I  have  said  they  are  so  cunning  and 
subtle  that  neither  men  nor  hounds  can  find  a 
remedy  to  keep  themselves  from  their  false  turns. 
Also  foxes  commonly  dwell  in  great  hedges  or  in 
great  coverts  or  in  burrows  near  some  towns  or 
villages  for  to  evermore  harm  hens  and  other 
things  as  I  have  said.  The  foxes'  skins  be  won- 
derfully  warm  to  make  cuffs  and  furs,  but  they 
stink  evermore  if  they  are  not  well  tawed.  The 
grease  of  the  fox  and  the  marrow  are  good  for 
the  hardening  of  sinews.  Of  the  other  manners 
of  the  fox  and  of  his  cunning  I  will  speak  more 
openly  hereafter.  Men  take  them  with  hounds, 
with  greyhounds,  with  hayes  and  with  purse-nets, 
but  he  cutteth  them  with  his  teeth,  as  the  male 
of  the  wolf  doth  but  not  so  soon  (quickly). 

1  According  to  G.  de  F.,  p.  74,  it  should  not  read  that  some 
are  hunted  like  wolves,  but  that  they  themselves  hunt  like 
wolves. 


CHAPTER  IX 

OF  THE  GREY  (BADGER)  AND  OF  HIS  NATURE 

The  grey  (badger)  is  a  common  beast  enough 
and  therefore  I  need  not  tell  you  of  his  making, 
for  there  be  few  men  that  have  not  seen  some  of 
them,  and  also  I  shall  take  no  heed  to  speak  much 
of  him,  for  it  is  not  a  beast  that  needeth  any 
great  mastery  to  devise  of  how  to  hunt  him,  or 
to  hunt  him  with  strength,  for  a  grey  can  fly  but 
a  little  way  before  he  is  overcome  with  hounds, 
or  else  he  goes  to  bay  and  then  he  is  slain  anon. 
His  usual  dwelling  is  in  the  earth  in  great  burrows 
and  if  he  comes  out  he  will  not  walk  far  thence. 
He  liveth  on  all  vermin  and  carrion  and  all  fruits 
and  on  all  things  such  as  the  fox.  But  he  dare 
not  venture  so  far  by  day  as  the  fox,  for  he  cannot 
flee.  He  liveth  more  by  sleeping  than  by  any 
other  thing.  Once  in  the  year  they  farrow  as  the 
fox.1  When  they  be  hunted  they  defend  them- 
selves long  and  mightily  and  have  evil  biting  and 
venomous  as  the  fox,  and  yet  they  defend  them- 
selves better  than  the  fox.     It  is  the  beast  of  the 

1  G.  de  F.,  p.  76,  adds  :  "And  they  farrow  their  pigs  in  their 
burrows  as  does  the  fox." 

68 


GREY  (BADGER)  AND  HIS  NATURE    69 

world  that  gathereth  most  grease  within  and  that 
is  because  of  the  long  sleeping  that  he  sleepeth. 
And  his  grease  bears  medicine  as  does  that  of  the 
fox,  and  yet  more,  and  men  say  that  if  a  child 
that  hath  never  worn  shoes  is  first  shod  with  those 
made  of  the  skin  of  the  grey  that  child  will  heal 
a  horse  of  farcy  if  he  should  ride  upon  him,  but 
thereof  I  make  no  affirmation.  His  flesh  is  not 
to  eat,  neither  is  that  of  the  fox  nor  of  the  wolf. 


CHAPTER   X 

OF    THE    (WILD)     CAT    AND     ITS     NATURE 

The  cat  is  a  common  beast  enough  therefore  I 
need  not  tell  of  his  making,  for  there  be  few  men 
that  have  not  seen  some  of  them.  Nevertheless 
there  be  many  and  diverse  kind  of  cats,  after 
some  masters'  opinions,  and  namely  of  wild  (cats). 
Especially  there  be  some  cats  as  big  as  leopards 
and  some  men  call  them  Guyenne  loup  cerviers  1 
and  other  cat-wolves,  and  this  is  evil  said  for  they 
are  neither  wolves  nor  cerviers  nor  cat-wolves. 
Men  might  (better)  call  them  cat-leopards  than 
otherwise,  for  they  draw  more  to  a  leopard  kind 
than  to  any  other  beast.  They  live  on  such  meat 
as  other  cats  do,  save  that  they  take  hens  in  hedges 2 
and  goats  and  sheep,  if  they  find  them  alone,  for 
they  be  as  big  as  a  wolf,  and  almost  formed  and 
made  as  a  leopard,  but  their  tail  is  not  so  long. 
A  greyhound  alone  could  not  take  one  of  them 

1  According  to  the  Shirley  MS.  this  passage  runs,  "Men 
calleth  him  in  Guyene  loupeceruyers."  See  Appendix  :  Wild 
Cat. 

2  Shirley  MS.  has  "  and  egges,"  instead  of  "  in  hedges,"  which 

is  the  rendering  G.  de  F.  gives. 

7o 


(WILD)    CAT   AND   ITS   NATURE     71 

to  make  him  abide,  for  a  greyhound  could  sooner 
take  and  hold  fast  and  more  steadfastly  a  wolf 
than  he  could  one  of  them.  For  he  claws  as  a 
leopard  and  furthermore  bites  right  (hard).  Men 
hunt  them  but  seldom,  but  if  the  hounds  find 
peradventure  such  a  cat,  he  would  not  be  long 
hunted  for  soon  he  putteth  him  to  his  defence  or 
he  runneth  up  a  tree.  And  because  he  flieth  not 
long  therefore  shall  I  speak  but  little  of  his 
hunting,  for  in  hunting  him  there  is  no  need  of 
great  mastery.  They  bear  their  kittens  and  are 
in  their  love  as  other  cats,  save  that  they  have 
but  two  kittens  at  once.  They  dwell  in  hollow 
trees  and  there  they  make  their  Hgging1  and  their 
beds  of  ferns  and  of  grass.  The  cat  helpeth  as 
badly  to  nourish  his  kittens  as  the  wolf  doth  his 
whelps.  Of  common  wild  cats  I  need  not  to  speak 
much,  for  every  hunter  in  England  knoweth  them, 
and  their  falseness  and  malice  are  well  known.  But 
one  thing  I  dare  well  say  that  if  any  beast  hath  the 
devil's  spirit  in  him,  without  doubt  it  is  the  cat, 
both  the  wild  and  the  tame. 

1  Bed  or  resting-place.     See  Appendix. 


CHAPTER    XI 

THE    OTTER    AND     HIS    NATURE 

An  otter  is  a  common  beast  enough  and  therefore 
I  need  not  tell  of  his  making.  She  liveth  with 
(on  ?)  fish  and  dwelleth  by  rivers  and  by  ponds 
and  stanks  (pools).  And  sometimes  she  feedeth 
on  grass  of  the  meadows  and  bideth  gladly  under 
the  roots  of  trees  near  the  rivers,  and  goeth  to  her 
feeding  as  doth  other  beasts  to  grass,  but  only  in 
the  new  grass  time,  and  to  fish  as  I  have  said. 
They  swimmeth  in  waters  and  rivers  and  some- 
times diveth  under  the  water  when  they  will,  and 
therefore  no  fish  can  escape  them  unless  it  be  too 
great  a  one.  They  doth  great  harm  specially  in 
ponds  and  in  stanks,  for  a  couple  of  otters  with- 
out more  shall  well  destroy  the  fish  of  a  great 
pond  or  great  stank,  and  therefore  men  hunt  them. 
They  go  in  their  love  at  the  time  that  ferrets  do, 
so  they  that  hold  (keep)  ferrets  in  their  houses 
may  well  know  the  time  thereof.  They  bear  their 
whelps  as  long  as  the  ferrets  and  sometimes  more 
and  sometimes  less.  They  whelp  in  holes  under 
the  trees  near  the  rivers.     Men  hunt  at  them  with 


THE   OTTER  AND   HIS   NATURE     jz 

hounds  by  great  mastery,  as  I  say  hereafter.1  And 
also  men  take  them  at  other  times  in  rivers  with 
small  cords  as  men  do  the  fox  with  nets  and  with 
other  gins.  She  hath  an  evil  biting  and  venom- 
ous and  with  her  strength  defendeth  herself 
mightily  from  the  hounds.  And  when  she  is 
taken  with  nets  unless  men  get  to  her  at  once  she 
rendeth  them  with  her  teeth  and  delivereth  herself 
out  of  them.  Longer  will  I  not  make  mention  of 
her,  nor  of  her  nature,  for  the  hunting  at  her  is 
the  best  that  men  may  see  of  her,  save  only  that 
she  has  the  foot  of  a  goose,  for  she  hath  a  little 
skin  from  one  claw  to  another,  and  she  hath  no 
heel  save  that  she  hath  a  little  lump  under  the 
foot,  and  men  speak  of  the  steps  or  the  marches 
of  the  otter  as  men  speak  of  the  trace  of  the  hart, 
and  his  fumes  (excrements)  tredeles  or  spraints. 
The  otter  dwelleth  but  little  in  one  place,  for 
where  she  goeth  the  fish  be  sore  afraid.  Some- 
times she  will  swim  upwards  and  downwards  seek- 
ing the  fish  a  mile  or  two  unless  it  be  in  a  stank. 
Of  the  remnant  of  his  nature  I  refer  to  Milbourne 2 
the  king  s  otter  hunter.  As  of  all  other  vermin  I 
speak  not,  that  is  to  say  of  martens  and  pole  cats,  for 
no  good  hunter  goeth  to  the  wood  with  his  hounds 

1  The  author  of  "Master  of  Game"  does  not  say  anything 
more  about  the  otter. 

2  In  Priv.  Seal  674/6456,  Feb.  18,  14 10,  William  Melbourne 
is  valet  of  our  otterhounds.     See  Appendix  :  Otter. 


74  THE   MASTER    OF    GAME 

intending  to  hunt  for  them,  nor  for  the  wild  cat 
either.  Nevertheless  when  men  seek  in  covert  for 
the  fox  and  can  find  none,  and  the  hounds  hap  fen 
to  find  them  and  then  the  hunter  rejoiceth  his 
hounds  for  the  ex  f  hit  of  his  hounds,  and  also  because 
it  is  vermin  that  they  run  to.  Of  conies  I  do  not 
speak,  for  no  man  hunteth  them  unless  it  be  bish- 
hunters  (fur  hunters),  and  they  hunt  them  with 
ferrets  and  with  long  small  h  ay  es.  Those  r  aches 
that  run  to  a  coney  at  any  time  ought  to  be  rated 
saying  to  them  loud,  "Ware  riot,  ware,"  for  no 
other  wild  beast  in  England  is  called  riot  save  the 
coney  only. 


CHAPTER   XII 

OF    THE    MANNER    AND     HABITS    AND 
CONDITIONS    OF    HOUNDS 

After  that  1  have  spoken  of  the  nature  of  beasts 
of  venery  and  of  chase  which  men  should  hunt, 
now  I  will  tell  you  of  the  nature  of  the  hounds 
which  hunt  and  take  them.  And  first  of  their 
noble  conditions  that  be  so  great  and  marvellous 
in  some  hounds  that  there  is  no  man  can  believe 
it,  unless  he  were  a  good  skilful  hunter,  and  well 
knowing,  and  that  he  haunted  them  long,  for  a 
hound  is  a  most  reasonable  beast,  and  best  know- 
ing of  any  beast  that  ever  God  made.  And  yet 
in  some  case  I  neither  except  man  nor  other  thing, 
for  men  find  it  in  so  many  stories  and  (see)  so 
much  nobleness  in  hounds,  always  from  day  to 
day,  that  as  I  have  said  there  is  no  man  that  liveth, 
but  must  think  it.  Nevertheless  natures  of  men 
and  all  beasts  go  ever  more  descending  and  de- 
creasing both  of  life  and  of  goodness  and  of 
strength  and  of  all  other  things  so  wonderfully, 
as  the  Earl  of  Foix  Phebus  sayeth  in  his  book,  that 
when  he  seeth  the  hounds  that  be  now  hunting 
and  thinketh  of  the  hounds  that  he  hath  seen  in 


76  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

the  time  that  is  passed,  and  also  of  the  goodness 
and  the  truth,  which  was  sometimes  in  the  lords 
of  this  world,  and  other  common  men,  and  seeth 
what  now  is  in  them  at  this  time,  truly  he  saith 
that  there  is  no  comparison,  and  this  knoweth  well 
every  man  that  hath  any  good  reason.  But  now 
let  God  ordain  thereof  whatever  His  good  will 
is.  But  to  draw  again  to  my  matter,  and  tell  the 
nobleness  of  the  hounds,  the  which  have  been,  some 
good  tales  I  shall  tell  you  the  which  I  find  in  true 
writings.  First  of  King  Claudoneus1  of  France, 
the  which  sent  once  after  his  great  court  whereof 
were  other  kings  which  held  of  him  land,  among 
the  which  was  the  King  Appollo  of  Lyonnys  that 
brought  with  him  to  the  court  his  wife  and  a  grey- 
hound that  he  had,  that  was  both  good  and  fair. 
The  King  Claudoneus  of  France  had  a  seemly 
young  man  for  his  son,  of  twenty  years  of  age,  and 
as  soon  as  he  saw  the  Queen  of  Lyonnys  he  loved 
her  and  prayed  her  of  (for  her)  love.  The  Queen 
was  a  good  lady  and  loved  well  her  lord,  forsook 
him  and  would  him  not,  and  said  (to)  him  that  if 
he  spake  to  her  any  more  thereof  that  she  would 
tell  it  to  the  King  of  France,  and  to  her  Lord. 
And  after  that  the  feast  was  passed,  King  Appollo 
of  Lyonnys  turned  again,  he  and  his  wife  to  their 
country.  And  when  they  were  so  turned  again, 
he  and  his  wife,  the  King  Claudoneus  son  of 
1  In  G.  de  F.  "  Clodoveus,"  p.  82. 


THE   HABITS   OF   HOUNDS        77 

France  was  before  him  with  a  great  fellowship  of 
men  of  arms  for  to  ravish  his  wife  from  him.  The 
King  Appollo  of  Lyonnys  that  was  a  wonderful 
good  knight  of  his  hounds  (hands  ?)  notwithstand- 
ing that  he  was  unarmed,  defended  himself  and 
his  wife  in  the  best  wise  that  he  could  unto  the 
time  that  he  was  wounded  to  the  death,  then  he 
withdrew  himself  and  his  wife  into  a  tower.  And 
the  King  Claudoneus  son,  the  which  would  not 
leave  the  lady,  went  in  and  took  the  lady,  and 
would  have  defiled  her,  and  then  she  said  to  him 
"  Ye  have  slain  my  lord,  and  (now)  ye  would  dis- 
honour me,  certes  I  would  sooner  be  dead,"  then 
she  drew  herself  to  (from)  a  window  and  leapt  into 
the  river  of  Loire  that  ran  under  the  tower  and 
anon  she  was  drowned.  And  after  that  within  a 
little  while,  the  King  Appollo  of  Lyonnys  died 
of  his  wounds  that  he  had  received,  and  on  the 
same  day  he  was  cast  into  the  river.  The  grey- 
hound that  I  have  spoke  of,  the  which  was  always 
with  the  king  his  master,  when  his  lord  was  cast 
in  the  river  leapt  after  him  into  the  river,  insomuch 
that  with  his  teeth  he  drew  his  lord  out  of  the 
river,  and  made  a  great  pit  with  his  claws  in  the 
best  wise  that  he  could,  and  with  his  muzzle. 
And  so  the  greyhound  always  kept  his  lord  about 
half  a  year  in  the  pit,  and  kept  his  lord  from  all 
manner  of  beasts  and  fowls.  And  if  any  man  ask 
whereof  he  lived  I  say  that  he  lived  on  carrion 


78  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

and  of  other  feeding  such  as  he  might  come  to. 
So  it  befell  that  the  King  Claudoneus  of  France 
rode  to  see  the  estate  of  his  realm,  and  (it)  befell 
that  the  king  passed  there  where  the  greyhound 
was  that  kept  his  lord  and  master,  and  the  grey- 
hound arose  against  him,  and  began  to  yelp  at 
him.  The  King  Claudoneus  of  France  the  which 
was  a  good  man  and  of  good  perception,  anon 
when  he  saw  the  greyhound,  knew  that  it  was  the 
greyhound  that  King  Appollo  of  Lyonnys  had 
brought  to  his  court,  whereof  he  had  great  wonder, 
and  he  went  himself  there  where  the  greyhound 
was  and  saw  the  pit,  and  then  he  made  some  of 
his  men  alight  from  their  horses  for  to  look  what 
was  therein,  and  therein  they  found  the  King 
Appollo's  body  all  whole.  And  anon  as  the 
King  Claudoneus  of  France  saw  him,  he  knew  it 
was  the  King  Appollo  of  Lyonnys,  whereof  he  was 
right  sorry  and  sore  aggrieved,  and  ordained  a  cry 
throughout  all  his  realm,  that  whoso  would  tell 
him  the  truth  of  the  deed  he  would  give  him 
whatsoever  that  he  would  ask.  Then  came  a 
damsel  that  was  in  the  tower  when  the  King 
Appollo  of  Lyonnys  was  dead,  and  thus  she  said 
to  the  King  Claudoneus  of  France,  "Sir,"  quoth 
she,  "  if  you  will  grant  me  a  boon  that  I  shall  ask 
and  assure  me  to  have  it,  before  all  your  men,  I 
shall  show  you  him  that  hath  done  the  deed," 
and  the  King  swore  to  her  before  his  men,  and  it 


THE   HABITS   OF   HOUNDS         79 

so  befell  that  the  King  Claudoneus  son  of  France 
was  beside  his  father.  "Sir,"  she  said,  "  here  is 
your  son  the  which  hath  done  this  deed.  Now 
require  I  you  as  ye  have  sworn  to  me  that  ye  give 
him  to  me,  I  will  no  other  gift  of  you."  The 
King  Claudoneus  of  France  turned  him  then 
towards  his  son  and  said  thus:  "Thou  cursed 
harlot,  thou  hast  shamed  and  shent  (disgraced) 
me  and  truly  I  shall  shend  (disgrace)  you.  And 
though  I  have  no  more  children  yet  shall  I  not 
spare."  Then  he  commanded  to  his  men  to 
make  a  great  fire,  and  cast  his  son  therein,  and  he 
turned  him  toward  the  damsel  when  the  fire  was 
great  alight,  and  thus  to  her  he  said  :  "  Damsel, 
now  take  ye  him  for  I  deliver  him  to  you,  as  I 
promised  and  assured  you."  The  damsel  durst 
not  come  nigh,  for  by  that  time  he  was  all  burnt. 
This  ensample  have  I  brought  forth  for  the  noble- 
ness of  hounds  and  also  of  lords  that  have  been 
in  olden  times.  But  I  trow  that  few  lords  be 
now  that  would  do  so  even  and  so  open  justice. 
A  hound  is  true  to  his  lord  and  his  master,  and 
of  good  love  and  true. 

A  hound  is  of  great  understanding  and  of  great 
knowledge,  a  hound  hath  great  strength  and  great 
goodness,  a  hound  is  a  wise  beast' and  a  kind  (one). 
A  hound  has  a  great  memory  and  great  smelling,1 

1  G.  de  F.,  p.  84,  says  " sentement?  good  sense,  feeling,  or 
sympathy. 


8o  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

a  hound  has  great  diligence  and  great  might,  a 
hound  is  of  great  worthiness  and  of  great  subtlety, 
a  hound  is  of  great  lightness  and  of  great  perse- 
verance (?),  a  hound  is  of  good  obedience,  for  he 
will  learn  as  a  man  all  that  a  man  will  teach  him. 
A  hound  is  full  of  good  sport  ;  hounds  are  so 
good  that  there  is  scarcely  a  man  that  would  not 
have  of  them,  some  for  one  craft,  and  some  for 
another.  Hounds  are  hardy,  for  a  hound  dare 
well  keep  his  master's  house,  and  his  beasts,  and 
also  he  will  keep  all  his  master's  goods,  and  he 
would  sooner  die  than  anything  be  lost  in  his 
keeping.  And  yet  to  affirm  the  nobleness  of 
hounds,  I  shall  tell  you  a  tale  of  a  greyhound 
that  was  Auberie's  of  Moundydier,  of  which  men 
may  see  the  painting  in  the  realm  of  France  in 
many  places.  Aubery  was  a  squire  of  the  king's 
house  of  France,  and  upon  a  day  that  he  was 
going  from  the  court  to  his  own  house,  and  as  he 
passed  by  the  woods  of  Bondis,  the  which  is  nigh 
Paris,  and  led  with  him  a  well  good  and  a  fair 
greyhound  that  he  had  brought  up.  A  man  that 
hated  him  for  great  envy  without  any  other 
reason,  who  was  called  Makarie,  ran  upon  him 
within  the  wood  and  slew  him  without  warning, 
for  Auberie  was  not  aware  of  him.  And  when 
the  greyhound  sought  his  master  and  found  him 
he  covered  him  with  earth  and  with  leaves  with 
his  claws  and  his  muzzle  in  the  best  way  that  he 


THE   HABITS   OF   HOUNDS         81 

could.  And  when  he  had  been  there  three  days 
and  could  no  longer  abide  for  hunger,  he  turned 
again  to  the  king's  court.  There  he  found 
Makarie,  who  was  a  great  gentleman,  who  had 
slain  his  master,  and  as  soon  as  the  greyhound 
perceived  Makarie,  he  ran  upon  him,  and  would 
have  maimed  him,  unless  men  had  hindered  him. 
The  King  of  France,  who  was  wise  and  a  man  of 
perception,  asked  what  it  was,  and  men  told  him 
the  truth.  The  greyhound  took  from  the  boards 
what  he  could,  and  brought  to  his  master  and  put 
meat  in  his  mouth,  and  the  same  wise  the  grey- 
hound did  three  days  or  four.  And  then  the 
King  made  men  follow  the  greyhound,  for  to  see 
where  he  bare  the  meat  that  he  took  in  the  court. 
And  then  they  found  Auberie  dead  and  buried. 
And  then  the  King,  as  I  have  said,  made  come 
many  of  the  men  of  his  court,  and  made  them 
stroke  the  greyhound's  side,  and  cherish  him  and 
made  his  men  lead  him  by  the  collar  towards  the 
house,  but  he  never  stirred.  And  then  the  King 
commanded  Makarie  to  take  a  small  piece  of  flesh 
and  give  it  to  the  greyhound.  And  as  soon  as 
the  greyhound  saw  Makarie,  he  left  the  flesh,  and 
would  have  run  upon  him.  And  when  the  King 
saw  that,  he  had  great  suspicions  about  Makarie, 
and  said  (to)  him  that  he  must  needs  fight  against 
the  greyhound.  And  Makarie  began  to  laugh, 
but  anon  the  King  made  him  do  the  deed,  and  one 

f 


82  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

of  the  kinsmen  of  Auberie  saw  the  great  marvel 
of  the  greyhound  and  said  that  he  would  swear 
upon  the  sacrament  as  is  the  custom  in  such  a  case 
for  the  greyhound,  and  Makarie  swore  on  the 
other  side,  and  then  they  were  led  into  our  Lady's 
Isle  at  Paris  and  there  fought  the  greyhound  and 
Makarie.  For  which  Makarie  had  a  great  two- 
handed  staff,  and  they  fought  so  that  Makarie 
was  discomntted,  and  then  the  king  commanded 
that  the  greyhound  the  which  had  Makarie  under 
him  should  be  taken  up,  and  then  the  King  made 
enquiry  of  the  truth  of  Makarie,  the  which 
acknowledged  he  had  slain  Aubrey  in  treason,  and 
therefore  he  was  hanged  and  drawn. 

The  bitches  be  jolly  in  their  love  commonly 
twice  in  a  year,  but  they  have  no  term  of  their  heat, 
for  every  time  of  the  year  some  be  jolly.  When 
they  be  a  twelvemonth  old,  they  become  jolly, 
and  be  jolly  while  they  await  the  hounds  without 
any  defence,  twelve  days  or  less,1  and  sometimes 
fifteen  days,  according  as  to  whether  they  be  of 
hot  nature  or  of  cold,  the  one  more  than  another, 
or  whether  some  be  in  better  condition  than  others. 
And  also  men  may  well  help  them  thereto,  for  if 
they  give  them  much  meat  they  abide  longer  in 
their  heat  than  if  they  had  but  little.  And  also 
if  they  were  cast  in  a  river  twice  in  a  day  they 
should  be  sooner  out  of  their  jollity.  They  bear 
1  G.  de  F.,  p.  85,  "Au  moins,"  at  least. 


THE   HABITS    OF   HOUNDS         83 

their  whelps  nine  weeks  or  more  ;  the  whelps  be 
blind  when  they  be  whelped  till  they  be  nine 
days  old  and  then  they  may  well  see  and  lap  well 
when  they  be  a  month  old,  but  they  have  great 
need  of  their  dam  to  the  time  that  they  be  two 
months  old,  and  then  they  should  be  well  fed 
with  goat's  milk  or  with  cow's  milk  and  crumbs 
of  bread  made  small  and  put  therein,  especially  in 
the  morn  and  at  night.  Because  that  the  night 
is  more  cold  than  the  day.  And  also  men  should 
give  them  crumbs  in  flesh-broth,  and  in  this  wise 
men  may  nourish  them  till  they  be  half  a  year 
old,  and  by  that  time  they  shall  have  cast  their 
hooks,  and  when  they  have  cast  their  hooks,  they 
should  teach  them  to  eat  dry  bread  and  lap  water 
little  by  little,  for  a  hound  that  is  nourished  with 
grease  and  fat  broth  when  he  casts  his  hooks,  and  if 
he  hath  always  sops  or  tit-bits,  he  is  a  chis  1  (dainty) 
hound  and  of  evil  ward.  And  also  they  be  not 
so  well  breathed  than  if  they  have  eaten  always 
bread  and  water.  When  the  bitches  be  lined  they 
lose  their  time,  and  also  while  they  be  great  with 
whelps,  and  also  while  their  whelps  suck.  If  they 
are  not  lined,  soon  they  will  lose  their  time,  for 
their  teats  remain  great  and  grow  full  of  wind 
until  the  time  that  they  should   have  had  their 

1  "Chis,"  or  "cheese,"  hound,  probably  dainty  hound,  a 
chooser,  from  "  cheosan,"  Mid.  Eng.  "  choose,"  to  distinguish  : 
also  written  "  ches,"  "  chees."     (Stratmann.) 


84  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

whelps.  And  so  that  they  should  not  lose  their 
time  men  spaye  them,  save  these  that  men  will 
keep  open  to  bear  whelps.  And  also  a  spayed 
bitch  lasteth  longer  in  her  goodness  than  other 
two  that  be  not  spayed.1  And  if  a  bitch  be  with 
whelps  the  which  be  not  of  ward  let  the  bitch  fast 
all  the  whole  day,  and  give  her  then  with  a  little 
grease  the  juice  of  a  herb  men  calleth  titimal,  the 
which  the  apothecaries  knoweth  well,  and  she 
shall  cast  her  whelps.  Nevertheless  it  is  a  great 
peril  namely  if  the  whelps  be  great  and  formed 
within  the  bitch.  The  greatest  fault  of  hounds 
is  that  they  live  not  long  enough,  most  commonly 
they  live  but  twelve  years.  And  also  men  should 
let  run  no  hounds  of  what  condition  that  they  be 
nor  hunt  them  until  the  time  that  they  were  a 
twelve  month  old  and  past.  And  also  they  can 
hunt  but  nine  years  at  the  most. 

1  Lasts  longer  good,  i.e.  lasts  as  long  as  two  hounds  that 
have  not  been  spayed.  G.  de  F.  (p.  86)  adds  :  "or  at  least 
one  and  a  half." 


CHAPTER   XIII 

OF    SICKNESSES    OF    HOUNDS    AND    OF    THEIR 
CORRUPTIONS 

The  hounds  have  many  divers  sicknesses  and 
their  greatest  sickness  is  the  rage  whereof  there 
be  nine  manners,  of  the  which  I  shall  tell  you  a 
part.  The  first  is  called  furious  madness.  The 
hounds  that  be  mad  of  that  madness  cry  and 
howl  with  a  loud  voice,  and  not  in  the  way  that 
they  were  wont  to  when  they  were  in  health. 
When  they  escape  they  go  everywhere  biting 
both  men  and  women  and  all  that  they  find  be- 
fore them.  And  they  have  a  wonderful  perilous 
biting,  for  if  they  bite  anything,  with  great  pain 
it  shall  escape  thereof  if  they  draw  blood,  that  it 
shall  go  mad  whatever  thing  it  be.  A  token  for 
to  know  at  the  beginning,  is  this,  that  they  eat 
not  so  well  as  they  were  wont  to,  and  they  bite 
the  other  hounds,  making  them  cheer  with  the 
tail 1  first,  smelleth  2  upon  them  and  licketh  3  them 

1  Cherish,  "  wagging  their   tayles  and  seeming   to  cherish 
them,"  Turbervile,  p.  223.     See  Appendix  :  Madness. 

2  It  should  read  "  smelleth,"  as  it  is  in  Shirley  MS.  and  in 
G.  de  F.,  p.  87. 

3  The  friendly  licking  of  other  dogs  has  often  been  noticed 
as  an  early  symptom  of  rabies  in  a  pack  of  hounds. 

85 


86  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

and  then  he  bloweth  a  great  blast  with  his  nose, 
and  then  he  looketh  fiercely,  and  beholdeth  his 
own  sides  and  maketh  semblant  that  he  had  flies 
about  him,  and  then  he  crieth.  And  when  men 
know  such  tokens  men  should  take  him  from 
the  others  until  the  fourth  day,  for  then  men 
may  see  the  sickness  all  clearly,  or  else  that  he  is 
not  mad  for  some  time.  Many  men  be  beguiled 
in  that  way.  And  if  any  hound  be  mad  of  any 
of  the  nine  madnesses  he  shall  never  be  whole. 
And  their  madness  cannot  last  but  nine  days  l 
but  they  shall  never  be  whole  but  dead.  That 
other  manner  of  madness  is  known  by  these  signs  : 
In  the  beginning  he  doth  as  I  said  before,  save 
that  they  neither  bite  man  nor  beast  save  only  the 
hounds,  as  perilous  is  his  biting  as  the  first,  and 
ever  more  they  go  up  and  down  without  any 
abiding.  And  this  madness  is  called  running 
madness.  And  these  two  madnesses  beforesaid 
taketh  the  other  hounds  that  they  be  with,  though 
they  bite  them  not.  That  other  madness  is  called 
ragemuet  (dumb  madness)  for  they  neither  bite 
nor  run  not,  eke  they  will  not  eat  for  their  mouth 

1  Du  Fouilloux  in  his  La  Ve?ierie  (published  1 561)  copied 
much  from  Gaston  de  Foix's  book,  but  either  he  or  his  editors 
made  the  ridiculous  mistake  of  saying  nine  mo7iths  instead 
of  days.  Turbervile,  who  translated,  or  rather  cribbed,  Du 
Fouilloux's  book,  has  copied  this  absurd  mistake,  and  says 
a  hound  may  continue  thus  nine  months,  but  not  past  (p. 
222). 


OF   SICKNESSES   OF    HOUNDS       87 

is  somewhat  gaping  as  if  they  were  enosed  1  in  their 
throat,  and  so  they  die,  within  the  term  beforesaid 
without  doing  any  harm.  Some  men  say  that  it 
cometh  to  them  from  a  worm 2  that  they  have 
under  the  tongue,  and  ye  should  find  but  few 
hounds  that  hath  not  a  worm  under  the  tongue. 
And  many  men  say  that  if  that  worm  was  taken 
from  them  they  would  never  go  mad,  but  thereof 
I  make  no  affirmation.  Nevertheless  it  is  good 
to  take  it  from  them,  and  men  should  take  it 
away  in  this  manner.  Men  should  take  the 
hound  when  he  is  past  half  a  year  old  and  hold 
fast  his  fore-feet,  and  put  a  staff  athwart  his 
mouth  so  that  he  should  not  bite.  And  after 
take  the  tongue  and  ye  should  find  the  worm 
under  the  tongue,  then  ye  should  slit  the  tongue 
underneath  and  put  a  needle  with  a  thread  betwixt 
the  worm  and  tongue  and  cut  and  draw  the  worm 
out  with  the  thread  or  else  with  a  small  fin  of  wood. 
And  notwithstanding  that  men  call  it  a  worm 
it  is  but  a  great  vein  that  hounds  have  under 
their  tongue.  This  madness  diseaseth  not  other 
hounds,  neither  man  nor  other  beast.  That 
other  madness  is  called  falling,  for  when  they 
want  to  walk  straight  they  fall  now  on  one  side 
and  now  on  the  other  side,  and  so  die  within  the 

1  Means  "  a  bone  in  their  throat."  G.  de  F.  (p.  88)  :  "  comme 
si  ils  avoient  un  os  en  la  gueule."  In  the  Shirley  MS.  "  enosed," 
i.e.  "  un  osP     See  Appendix  :  Madness. 

2  See  Appendix  :  Worming. 


88  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

aforesaid  term.  This  madness  stretcheth  to  no 
other  hound  nor  man  or  beast.  That  other 
madness  is  called  flank  madness,1  for  they  be  so 
sore  and  tucked  up  by  the  middle  of  the  flanks 
as  though  they  never  ate  meat,  and  pant  in  their 
flanks  with  much  pain,  and  will  not  eat,  but  stoop 
low  with  the  head  and  always  look  downwards, 
and  when  they  go  they  take  up  their  feet  high 
and  go  rolling  as  a  drunken  man.  This  madness 
stretcheth  to  no  other  hound  nor  to  any  other 
things,  and  they  die  as  it  is  said  before.  The  other 
madness  is  called  sleeping  madness,  for  they  lie 
always  and  make  semblant  as  if  they  were  asleep, 
and  so  they  die  without  meat.  This  sickness 
stretcheth  to  no  other  thing.  That  other  madness 
is  called  madness  of  head.  Nevertheless  all  mad- 
nesses are  of  foolishness  of  the  head  and  of  the 
heat  of  the  heart,  for  their  head  becometh  great 
and  swelleth  fast.  They  eat  no  meat  and  so  they 
die  in  that  madness.  This  madness  stretcheth  to 
no  other  thing.  And  certainly  I  never  saw  a 
hound  that  had  any  of  all  these  madnesses  that 
ever  might  be  healed.  Nevertheless  many  men 
think  sometime  that  a  hound  be  mad  when  it 
is  not  so,  and  therefore  the  best  proof  that  any 
man  may  do,  is  to  draw  him  from  the  other  hounds 
and  assaye  him  three  whole  days  each  one  after 

1  "  Lank  madness"  in  Turbervile,  p.  223.     Tucked  up.     G.  de 
F.  (p.  88)  :  " cousus  parmi  les  flans"  ("the  flanks  drawn  in"). 


OF   SICKNESSES   OF   HOUNDS       89 

the  other  following,  if  he  will  eat  flesh  or  any  other 
thing.  And  if  he  will  not  eat  within  three  days 
slay  him  as  a  mad  hound.  The  remedies  for  men 
or  for  beasts  that  be  bitten  by  mad  hounds  must 
need  be  done  a  short  time  after  the  biting,  for  if 
it  were  past  a  whole  day  it  were  hard  to  undertake 
to  heal  him  of  the  two  first  madnesses  whereof 
I  spake  at  the  beginning,  for  all  the  others  can 
do  no  harm,  and  the  remedy  may  be  of  divers 
manners.  Some  goeth  to  the  sea,  and  that  is  but 
a  little  help,  and  maketh  nine  waves  of  the  sea 
pass  over  him  that  is  so  bitten.  Some  take  an  old 
cock  and  pull  all  the  feathers  from  above  his  vent 
and  hangeth  him  by  the  legs  and  by  the  wings,  and 
setteth  the  cock's  vent  upon  the  hole  of  the  biting, 
and  stroketh  along  the  cock  by  the  neck  and  by 
the  shoulders  because  that  the  cock's  vent  should 
suck  all  the  venom  of  the  biting.  And  so  men  do 
long  upon  each  of  the  wounds,  and  if  the  wounds 
be  too  little  theymust  be  made  wider  with  a  barber's 
lancet.  And  many  men  say,  but  thereof  I  make 
no  affirmation,  that  if  the  hound  were  mad,  that 
the  cock  shall  swell  and  die,  and  he  that  was  bitten 
by  the  hound  shall  be  healed.  If  the  cock  does 
not  die  it  is  a  token  that  the  hound  is  not  mad. 
There  is  another  help,  for  men  may  make  sauce 
of  salt,  vinegar  and  strong  garlic  pulled  and 
stamped,  and  nettles  together  and  as  hot  as  it  may 
be  suffered   to   lay  upon   the  bite.     And  this  is 


9o  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

a  good  medicine  and  a  true,  for  it  hath  been 
proved,  and  every  day  should  it  be  laid  upon  the 
biting  twice,  as  hot  as  it  can  be  suffered,  until 
the  time  when  it  be  whole,  or  else  by  nine  days. 
And  yet  there  is  another  medicine  better  than  all 
the  other.  Take  leeks  and  strong  garlic  and 
chives  and  rue  and  nettles  and  hack  them  small 
with  a  knife,  and  then  mingle  them  with  olive  oil 
and  vinegar,  and  boil  them  together,  and  then 
take  all  the  herbs,  also  as  hot  as  they  may  be 
suffered,  and  lay  them  on  the  wound  every  day 
twice,  till  the  wound  be  healed,  or  at  least  for 
nine  days.  But  at  the  beginning  that  the  wound 
be  closed  or  garsed  *  (cupped)  for  to  draw  out 
the  venom  but  of  the  wound  because  that  it  goeth 
not  to  the  heart.  And  if  a  hound  is  bit  by  another 
mad  hound  it  is  a  good  thing  for  to  hollow  it  all 
about  the  biting  with  a  hot  iron.  The  hounds 
have  also  another  sickness  that  is  called  the  mange, 
that  cometh  to  them  because  that  they  be  melan- 
choly. There  are  four  manners  of  mange,  that 
one  is  called  the  quick  mange  the  which  pulleth  2 
the  hounds  and  breaketh  their  skins  in  many 
places,  and  the  skin  waxeth  great  and  thick,  and 

1  In  Shirley  MS.  "  ventoused  upon  or  gersed."  G.  de  F.  : 
"  ventouses,  que  on  appelle  coupes,"  hence  "  cupped  and  lanced  " 
would  be  the  proper  meaning. 

2  Makes  them  lose  their  hair.  G.  de  F.  (p.  90),  "et  s\ poile 
le  chien." 


OF   SICKNESSES   OF   HOUNDS       91 

this  is  wonderfully  evil  to  heal,  for  though  the 
hounds  may  be  whole  it  cometh  to  them  again. 
Commonly  to  this  mange,  this  is  the  best  ointment 
that  men  may  make  thereto.  Nevertheless  many 
men  would  put  many  others  thereto,  first  take  ye 
six  pounds  of  honey  and  a  quart  of  verdigris,  and 
that  the  honey  be  first  melted  and  stirred  in  the 
bottom  with  a  ladle,  and  then  let  it  cool,  and  let 
it  boil  often  with  as  much  of  oil  of  nuts  as  of  the 
honey  and  of  water,  wherein  an  herb  has  been 
boiled  that  men  call  in  Latin  Cleoborum,  and  in 
other  language  Valerian,  the  which  make  men 
sneeze,  and  put  all  these  things  together  and 
mingle  them  upon  the  fire,  stir  them  well  and  let 
it  be  cold,  and  anoint  the  hound  by  the  fire  or  in 
the  sun.  And  look  that  he  lick  not  himself,  for 
it  should  do  him  harm.  And  unless  he  be  whole 
at  the  first  time  anoint  him  from  eight  days  (to 
eight  days)  x  until  the  time  that  he  be  whole,  for 
certainly  he  shall  be  whole.  And  if  he  will  make 
any  more  of  that  ointment,  take  of  the  things 
aforesaid  in  the  same  wise  or  more  or  less  as 
seemëth  to  you  that  need  is.  That  other  manner 
(of)  mange  is  called  flying  mange,2  for  it  is  not  in 
all  the  body  but  it  cometh  more  commonly  about 
the  hounds'  ears,  and  in  their  legs  than  in  any 

1  "To  viii.  days"  has  been  omitted. 

2  Some  confusion,  which  is  still  common,  between  eczema 
from  various  causes,  and  true  parasitic  mange  or  scabies. 


92  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

other  place  of  the  body,1  as  the  farcy,  and  this  is 
the  worst  to  heal,  and  the  best  ointment  that  any 
man  can  make  for  this  manner  of  mange  is  this  : 
take  quicksilver  for  as  much  as  ye  will  make 
ointment,  as  ye  have  need,  and  put  it  in  a  dish 
with  spittle  of  three  or  four  fasting  men,  and  stir 
it  altogether  against  the  bottom  of  the  dish  with 
a  pot-stick,  until  the  time  that  the  quicksilver  be 
quenched  with  the  water,  and  then  take  ye  as  much 
verdigris  as  of  the  quicksilver  and  mingle  it  with 
spittle,  always  stirring  with  a  pot-stick,  as  I  have 
said  before,  until  the  time  that  they  can  be  all 
mingled  together.  And  after  take  old  swine's 
grease  without  salt,  a  great  piece,  and  take  away 
the  skin  above,  and  put  it  in  the  dish  that  I  spake 
of,  with  the  things  before  said,  and  mingle  and 
stamp  it  altogether  a  long  while,  then  keep  it  to 
anoint  the  hound  there  where  he  hath  the  mange 
and  in  no  other  place,  and  certainly  he  shall  be 
whole.  This  ointment  is  marvellous  and  good  and 
true  not  only  for  this  thing,  but  also  against  the 
canker  and  fistula  and  farcy  and  other  quick  evils, 
the  which  have  been  hard  to  heal  in  other  beasts. 
That  other  is  a  common  mange  when  the  hounds 
claw  themselves  with  their  feet  and  snap  with 
their  teeth,  and  it  is  on  all  the  body  of  the  hound. 
And  all  manners  of  mange  come  to  hounds  from 

1  G.  de  F.  (p.  91)  adds  :  "et  est  vermeille  et  saute  d'un  lieu 
en  autre." 


OF   SICKNESSES   OF   HOUNDS       93 

great  travel  and  from  long  hunting,  as  when  they 
be  hot  they  drink  of  foul  water  and  unclean,  which 
corrupteth  their  bodys,  and  also  when  they  hunt  in 
evil  places  of  pricklings  of  thorns,  of  briers,  or  per- 
adventure  it  raineth  upon  them,  and  they  be  not 
well  tended  afterwards.     Then  cometh  the  scab, 
and  also  the  scab  cometh  upon  them  when  they 
abide  in  their  kennel  too  long  1  and  goeth  not  hunt- 
ing.    Or  else  their  litter  and  couch  is  uncleanly 
kept,  or  else  the  straw  is  not  removed  and  their 
water  not  freshened,  and  shortly  the  hounds  un- 
clean, I  hold,  and  evil  kept  or  long  waterless,  have 
commonly  this  mange.     For  the  cure  of  which  take 
ye  the  root  of  an  herb  that  groweth  upon  houses 
and  walls,  the  which  is  called  in  Latin  iroos 2  (iris) 
and  chop  it  small  and  boil  it  well  in  water,  and 
then  put  thereto  as  much  of  oil  made  of  nuts  as 
of  water,  and  when  it  is  well  boiled  cast  out  the 
herb,  and  then  take  of  black  pitch  and  of  rosin  as 
much  of  the  one  as  of  the  other,  well  stamped,  and 
cast  it  in  the  water  and  the  oil  before  said,  and  stir 
it  well  about  on  the  fire  with  a  pot-stick  :   and  then 
let  it  well  grow  cold,  and  anoint  the  hound  as  before 

1  In  the  Shirley  MS.  the  words  are  added  :  "  to(o)  hye  plyte," 
i.e.  too  high  condition.     G.  de  F.  (p.  91)  adds  "gresse." 

2  Ireos,  Eng.  Iris.  This  word  is  also  constantly  recurring 
in  old  household  books.  Aniseed  and  orris  powder  were  placed 
among  linen  to  preserve  it  from  insects.  In  Edward  IV.'s 
Wardrobe  Accounts  we  read  of  bags  of  fustian  stuffed  with 
anneys  and  ireos. 


94  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

is  said.  Sometime  cometh  to  the  hounds  sickness 
in  their  eyes,  for  there  cometh  a  web  upon  them, 
and  growing  flesh  which  cometh  into  that  one  side 
of  the  eye,  and  is  called  a  nail,1  and  so  they  grow 
blind  unless  a  man  take  care  thereof.  Some  men 
put  about  their  necks  a  collar  of  an  elm  tree  both 
of  leaves  and  of  bark,  and  seeth  that  when  that 
shall  be  dry  the  nail  shall  fall  away,  but  that  is 
but  a  little  help.  But  the  true  help  that  may  be 
thereto  is  this,  take  ye  the  juice  of  a  herb  that  men 
call  Selidoyn  (Celandine) 2  powder  of  ginger  and 
of  pepper,  and  put  all  together  thrice  in  the  day 
within  the  eye,  and  let  him  not  claw  nor  rub  it 
a  long  while,  and  that  customarily  by  nine  days 

1  Pterygium,  name  for  the  "sickness"  in  the  eyes  of  hounds 
which  our  MS.  describes  as  a  "web  coming  upon  them."  It 
is  called  pterygium  from  its  resemblance  to  an  insect's  wing  ; 
is  an  hypertrophy  of  the  conjunctiva  or  lining  membrane  of  the 
eye,  due  to  irritation  ;  it  extends  from  the  inner  angle  to  the 
cornea,  which  it  may  cover  :  the  treatment  is  excision.  The 
cure  for  "the  nail"  mentioned  in  our  MS.  of  hanging  a  collar 
of  elm  leaves  round  the  dog  is  taken  by  G.  de  F.  (p.  92)  from 
Roy  Modus  xliv.,  where  it  is  given  without  the  saving  clause 
"  Mes  cela  est  bien  petit  remède." 

2  Celandine,  Chalidonium  Majus,  from  xf^ooi>,  a  swallow. 
The  name  was  derived  from  the  tradition  that  swallows  used 
it  to  open  the  eyes  of  their  young  or  to  restore  their  sight.  Has 
a  yellow  flower  and  an  acrid,  bitter,  orange  juice.  Internally 
an  irritant  poison.  Infusions  in  wine  used  by  Galen  and 
Bioscorides  for  jaundice,  probably  from  the  colour  of  the  juice 
and  flowers.  Externally  the  juice  was  much  used  for  wounds, 
ulcers,  ophthalmic  cases,  and  for  the  removal  of  warts.  The 
Old  French  name  for  this  plant  was  herbe  d^arondelles  {hiron- 
delles). 


OF   SICKNESSES   OF   HOUNDS       95 

until  the  time  that  the  hound's  eyes  be  whole,  and 
also  it  is  good  to  put  therein  of  the  Sousse '  of  the 
which  men  find  enough  at  the  apothecary's  for  the 
same  sickness,  and  if  the  nail  were  so  hard  grown 
and  so  strong  that  he  might  not  be  healed  there- 
with, take  a  needle  and  bow  it  in  the  middle  that 
it  be  crooked,  and  take  well  and  subtly  the  flesh 
that  is  upon  the  eye  with  the  needle  and  draw  it 
up  on  high,  and  then  cut  it  with  a  razor,  but 
take  good  care  that  the  needle  touch  not  the  eye. 
These  things  the  smiths  can  do  well,2  for  as  the 
nail  is  drawn  out  of  a  horse's  eye,  right  so  it  must 
be  drawn  out  of  the  hound's  eye,  and  without  fault 
he  shall  be  whole.  And  also  another  sickness 
cometh  into  the  hound's  ears  the  which  cometh 
out  of  the  rewme  (cold)  of  the  head  of  the  hound, 
for  they  claw  themselves  so  much  with  the  hinder 
feet  that  they  make  much  foul  things  come  out 
thereof,  and  so  out  of  her  ears  cometh  much  foul 
things,  and  some  time  thereof  they  become  deaf. 
Therefore  they  should  take  wine  luke-warm  and 
with  a  cloth  wash  it  well,  and  clean  three  or  four 
times  in  the  day,  and  when  it  is  washed  ye  should 
cast  therein  oil  and  camomile  milk,  warm,  three 
drops,  and  suffer  him  not  to  claw  it  nor  rub  it  a 
great  while,  and  do  so  continually  until  the  time 

1  Shirley  MS.  has  "foussye,"  G.  de  F.  (p.  92)  "de  la  poudre 
de  la  tutie,"  oxide  of  zinc. 

2  Shirley  MS.  adds  :  "that  be  marshals  for  horses." 


96  THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

that  he  be  whole.  Also  hounds  have  another 
sickness  that  cometh  to  them  of  the  rewme,  that 
is  to  say,  they  have  the  malemort  (glanders)  in  their 
nostrils  as  horses  have,  wherefore  they  can  smell 
nothing  nor  wind,  and  at  the  last  some  die  thereof, 
and  they  take  it  most  when  they  hunt  in  snow.  For 
this  sickness  boil  mastic  and  incense  in  small  powder 
in  fair  water,  and  of  a  thing  that  men  call  Ostoraces 
calamynt,1  brygella 2  of  rue 3  and  mint  and  of  sage, 
and  hold  the  hound's  nose  upon  the  pot's  mouth 
wherein  these  things  should  boil  so  that  he  may 
retain  within  his  nostrils  the  smoke  that  cometh 
thereof  out  of  the  pot.  And  in  this  wise  serve 
him  a  long  while,  three  or  four  times  every  day, 
until  the  time  that  he  be  whole,  and  this  is  good 
also  for  a  horse  when  he  hath  the  glanders  strongly 

1  Estoracis  calamita,  G.  de  F.,  p.  93.  Lavallée  appends  the 
note  :  "  Storax  et  Styrax  calamita?  Storax,  a  resin  resembling 
benzoin,  was  in  high  esteem  from  the  time  of  Pliny  to  the 
eighteenth  century.  It  was  obtained  from  the  stem  of  Styrax 
officinalis,  a  native  of  Greece  and  the  Levant.  In  our  MS.  four 
other  ingredients  mentioned  by  G.  de  F.  have  been  left  out, 
but  the  Shirley  MS.  gives  them  :  "and  oyle  of  Kamamyle  and 
of  Mallyor  of  aushes  and  of  calamynt,"  i.e.  oil  of  camomile, 
melilot  (Meliters),  rosemary,  thymus  calamita,  a  species  of 
balm.  Possibly  this  is  a  mint  called  Calaminta  nepeta,  a  plant 
formerly  much  used  in  medicine  as  a  gentle  stimulant  and  tonic. 
Melilot,  a  genus  of  clover-like  plants  of  the  natural  order  of 
Leguminose. 

2  Mildew.     G.  de  F.  (p.  93),  Nigella,  Nielle. 

3  Reive,  Mod.  Eng.  rue,  Lat.  ruta.  This  herb  was  in  great 
repute  among  the  ancients,  and  is  still  employed  in  medicine 
as  a  powerful  stimulant. 


OF   SICKNESSES   OF    HOUNDS      97 

coming  out  of  the  nose.  Also  there  is  another 
sickness  of  hounds,  the  which  cometh  to  them  in 
their  throats  and  sometime  cometh  so  to  men  in 
such  wise  that  they  may  not  keep  down  their  meat, 
and  so  they  must  cast  it  out  again.  In  some  time 
the  sickness  is  so  strong  on  them,  that  they  can 
keep  nothing  down  in  their  bodies  and  so  die. 
The  best  medicine  is  to  let  them  go  wherever  they 
will,  and  let  them  eat  all  that  ever  they  will.  For 
sometime  the  contrary  things  turneth  them  to 
good.  And  give  them  to  eat  flesh  right  small 
cut,  and  put  in  broth  or  in  goat's  milk  a  little, 
and  a  little  because  that  they  may  swallow  it 
down  without  labour,  and  give  him  not  too  much 
at  once,  that  they  may  digest  better.  And  also 
buttered  eggs  doeth  them  much  good.  And 
sometimes  the  hounds  hurt  themselves  in  their 
feet,  and  in  their  legs,  and  in  their  breast.  And 
when  it  is  in  the  joints  of  their  feet  that  be  run 
out  of  their  places,  the  best  help  that  there  is  is 
to  bring  them  again  into  joint,  by  such  men  as 
can  well  do  it,  and  then  lay  upon  that  place  flax 
wetted  in  white  of  egg,  and  let  them  rest  until 
the  time  that  they  be  whole.  And  if  there  be  any 
broken  bones  men  should  knit  it  again  in  the  best 
wise,  the  one  bone  against  that  other  and  bind  it 
with  flax  above  as  I  have  said,  and  with  four 
splints  well  bound  thereto  that  one  against  that 
other,  because  that  the  bone  should  not  unjoin, 

G 


9  8  THE    MASTER   OF   GAME 

and  men  should  remove  the  bands  from  four  days 
to  four  days  all  whole.  And  give  them  to  drink 
the  juice  of  herbs  that  are  called  consolida  major  1 
and  minor,2  and  mix  it  in  broth  or  in  her  meat, 
and  that  shall  make  the  bones  join  together.  Also 
many  hounds  be  lost  by  the  feet,  and  if  some  time 
they  be  heated  take  vinegar  and  soot  that  is 
within  the  chimney,  and  wash  his  feet  therewith 
until  the  time  that  they  be  whole,  and  if  the  soles 
of  the  feet  be  bruised  because,  peradventure,  they 
have  run  in  hard  country  or  among  stones,  take 
water,  and  small  salt  therein,  and  therewith  wash 
their  feet,  the  same  day  that  they  have  hunted, 
and  if  they  have  hunted  in  evil  country  among 
thorns  and  briars  that  they  be  hurt  in  their  legs 
or  in  their  feet,  wash  their  legs  in  sheep's  tallow 
well  boiled  in  wine  when  it  is  cold,  and  rub  them 
well  upward  against  the  hair.  The  best  that  men 
may  do  to  hounds  that  they  lose  not  their  claws 
is  that  they  sojourn  not  too  long,  for  in  long 
sojourning  they  lose  their  claws,  and  their  feet,  and 
therefore  they  should  be  led  three  times  in  the 
week  a-hunting,  and  at  the  least  twice.  If  they 
have  sojourned  too  much,  cut  ye  a  little  off  the 
end  of  their  claws  with  pincers  ere  they  go  hunt- 

1  Consolida  major.  Lavallée  in  his  note  (p.  94)  translates 
this  coiisoude,  which  in  English  is  comfrey,  Latin  Symphytum. 

2  Consolida  minor  (Lavallée  :  note,  petit  consolidé),  Mod.  Fr. 
Brunelle.  G.  de  F.  p.  94.  Eng.  Selfheal.  Lat.  Prunella 
vulgaris.     It  was  at  one  time  in  repute  as  a  febrifuge. 


OF   SICKNESSES   OF   HOUNDS       99 

ing,  so  that  they  may  not  break  their  claws  in 
running.  Also  when  they  be  at  sojourn,  men 
should  lead  them  out  every  day  a  mile  or  two 
upon  gravel  or  upon  a  right  hard  path  by  a  river 
side,  so  that  their  feet  may  be  hard.  Hounds 
also  sometimes  be  chilled  as  horses  when  they 
have  run  too  long,  and  come  hot  in  some  water, 
or  else  when  they  come  to  rest  in  some  cold  place, 
then  they  go  all  forenoon  and  cannot  eat,  nor 
cannot  walk  well,  then  should  men  let  blood  on 
the  four  legs.  From  the  forelegs  in  the  joints 
within  the  leg,  from  the  hinder  legs  men  should 
let  blood  in  the  veins  that  goeth  overthwart  above 
the  hocks  on  the  other  side,  and  in  the  hinder  legs 
men  may  well  see  clearly  the  veins  that  I  speak  of, 
and  also  in  the  forelegs,  thus  he  shall  be  whole. 
And  give  him  one  day  sops  or  some  other  thing 
comfortable  till  the  morrow  or  other  day.  The 
hounds  also  have  a  sickness  in  the  yerde  that  men 
calleth  the  canker,  and  many  be  lost  thereby. 
Men  should  take  such  a  hound  and  hold  him  fast 
and  upright  and  bind  his  mouth  and  his  four  legs 
also,  and  then  men  should  take  his  yerde  back- 
ward by  the  ballocks  and  put  him  upward,  and 
another  man  shall  draw  the  skin  well  in  manner 
that  the  yerde  may  all  come  out,  and  then  a  man 
may  take  away  the  canker  with  his  fingers,  for  if 
it  were  taken  away  with  a  knife  men  might  cut 
him.     And  then  men  should  wash  it  with  wine, 


too        THE    MASTER   OF   GAME 

milk  warm,  and  then  put  therein  honey  and  salt, 
so  that  the  sickness  shall  not  come  again,  and  then 
put  again  the  yerde  within  the  skin  as  it  was  before, 
and  look  every  week  that  the  sickness  come  not 
again,  and  take  it  always  out  if  aught  come  thereto 
until  the  time  that  it  be  whole.  And  in  the  same 
wise  a  man  should  do  to  a  bitch,  if  such  a  sickness 
were  taken  in  her  nature.  In  this  sickness  many 
hounds  and  bitches  die  for  default  of  these  cures, 
whereof  all  hunters  have  not  full  knowledge. 
Sometimes  the  hounds  have  a  great  sickness  that 
they  may  not  piss,  and  be  lost  thereby  and  also 
when  they  may  not  scombre  (dung).  Then  take 
ye  the  root  of  a  cabbage  and  put  it  in  olive  oil, 
and  put  it  in  his  fundament  so  that  ye  leave 
some  of  the  end  without,  so  much  that  it  may 
be  drawn  out  when  it  is  needful.  And  if  he 
may  not  be  whole  thereby  make  him  a  clyster  as 
men  do  to  a  man,  of  mallows,  of  beets,  and  of 
mercury,  a  handful  of  each,  and  of  rue  and  of 
incense,  and  that  all  these  things  be  boiled  in  water 
and  put  bran  within,  and  let  pass  all  that  water 
through  a  strainer,  and  thereto  put  two  drachms 
of  agarite 1  and  of  honey  and  of  olive  oil,  and  all 
this  together  put  into  his  anus  and  he  shall  scombre. 

1  Agarys.  G.  de  F.  (Fagret,  probably  agrimony,  Lat.  agri- 
?nonia.  It  is  bitter  and  styptic,  and  was  much  valued  in 
domestic  medicine  ;  a  decoction  of  it  being  used  as  a  gargle 
and  the  dried  leaves  as  a  kind  of  tea,  and  the  root  as  a 
vermifuge. 


OF   SICKNESSES   OF    HOUNDS     101 

And  then  take  five  corns  of  spurge  1  and  stamp 
them  and  temper  them  with  goat's  milk  or  with 
broth,  and  put  it  in  the  hound's  throat  to  the 
amount  of  a  glassful.  And  if  he  may  not  piss 
take  the  leaves  of  leeks  and  of  a  herb  that  is  called 
marrubium  album 2  and  of  modirwort 3  and  of 
peritorie  4  and  morsus  galline 5  and  of  nettles  and 
parsley  leaves  as  much  of  the  one  as  of  the  other, 
and  stamp  them  with  swine's  grease  therewith,  and 
make  a  plaster  thereof,  and  make  it  a  little  hot, 
and  lay  it  upon  the  hound's  yerde  and  along  his 
belly,  and  that  which  is  hard  to  understand  ye 
shall  find  at  the  apothecary's,  the  which  know 
well  all  these  things.  Also  to  the  hounds  cometh 
sores,  that  cometh  to  them  under  the  throat  or 
in  other  parts  of  the  body.     Then  take  ye  of  the 

1  Euphorbia  resi7iifera,  common  spurge,  exudes  a  very  acrid 
milky  juice  which  dries  into  a  gum  resin.  Still  used  for  some 
plasters. 

2  Marrubium  vulgaj-e.  G.  de  F.  marrabre  bUvic,  Eng.  white 
horehound.  It  enjoyed  a  great  reputation  as  a  stimulating 
expectorant  employed  in  asthma,  consumption,  and  other 
pulmonary  affections. 

3  Leonurus  cardiaca.  G.  de  F.  Ar/emise,  Eng.  Motherwort, 
Mod.  Fr.  armoise.  A  plant  allied  to  the  horehound  as  a  vascular 
stimulant  and  diuretic  and  a  general  tome,  employed  in  dropsy, 
gout,  rheumatism,  and  uterine  disorders. 

4  Parietaria.  Eng.  Wall  pellitory.  An  old  domestic  remedy. 
It  was  supposed  to  be  astringent  and  cooling,  and  used  locally 
for  inflammation,  burns,  erysipelas,  and  internally  as  a  diuretic. 
It  grows  on  old  walls  and  heaps  of  rubbish. 

5  Morsus  gallinus. 


102        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

mallows  and  of  the  onions  and  of  white  lilies,1 
and  cut  them  small  with  a  knife,  and  put  them  in 
a  ladle  of  iron  and  mingle  these  herbs  whereof  I 
speak,  and  lay  them  upon  the  sores,  and  that  shall 
make  them  rise,  and  when  they  be  risen,  slit  them 
with  a  sharp  knife.  And  when  they  be  so  broken, 
lay  upon  them  some  good  drawing  salve,  and  he 
be  whole.  Sometimes  the  hounds  fight  and  bite 
each  other,  and  then  they  shall  take  sheep's  wool 
unwashed,  and  a  little  olive  oil,  and  wet  the  wool 
in  the  oil,  and  lay  it  upon  the  hound's  wound,  and 
bind  it  thereupon,  and  do  so  three  days,  and  then 
after  twice  each  day  anoint  it  with  olive  oil,  and 
lay  nothing  upon  it.  And  he  shall  lick  it  with  his 
tongue  and  heal  himself.2  If  peradventure  in  the 
wound  come  worms  as  I  have  seen  some  time, 
every  day  ye  shall  pick  them  out  with  a  stick,  and 
ye  shall  put  in  the  wound  the  juice  of  leaves  of  a 
peach  tree  mingled  with  quicklime  until  the  time 
that  they  be  whole.  Also  it  happeneth  to  many 
hounds  that  they  smite  the  forelegs  against  the 
hinder  wherefore  their   thighs    dry 3  and  be  lost 

1  Lilies.  The  white  lilies  here  mentioned  are  probably 
Lilium  connalium  (lilies  of  the  valley).  In  an  old  book  of 
recipes  I  find  them  mentioned  as  an  antidote  to  poison.  {Haus 
und  Laud  Bib.  1700.)  They  have  medicinal  qualities,  purgative 
and  diuretic  in  effect.  Dried  and  powdered  they  become  a 
sternutatory. 

2  In  the  Shirley  MS.  there  is  added:  "the  hound  tongue 
beareth  medicine  and  especially  to  himself."  G.  de  F.  has  the 
same  (p.  97).  3  Wither  or  dry  up. 


OF   SICKNESSES   OF    HOUNDS      103 

thereby,  and  then  if  ye  see  that  it  last  them  longer 
than  three  days  that  they  set  not  their  foot  to  the 
earth,  then  slit  ye  the  thigh  along  and  athwart 
within  the  thigh,  crosswise  upon  the  bone,  that  is 
upon  the  turn  bone  of  the  knee  behind,  and  then 
put  thereupon  wool  wet  in  olive  oil  as  before  is 
said,  for  three  whole  days.  And  then  after  anoint 
the  wound  with  oil  without  binding  as  I  have  said, 
and  he  shall  heal  himself  with  his  tongue.  Some- 
times a  hound  is  evil  astyfled,1  so  that  he  shall 
sometime  abide  half  a  year  or  more  ere  he  be  well, 
and  if  he  be  not  so  tended  he  will  never  recover. 
Then  it  needeth  that  ye  let  him  long  sojourn 
until  the  time  that  he  be  whole,  until  he  is  no 
longer  halting,  that  is  that  one  thigh  be  no  greater 
than  the  other.  And  if  he  may  not  be  all  whole, 
do  to  him  as  men  do  to  a  horse  that  is  spauled  in 
the  shoulder  in  front,  draw  throughout  a  cord  of 
horsehair 2  and  he  shall  be  whole.  Sometimes  an 
evil  befalls  in  the  ballock  purse,3  sometimes  from 
too  long  hunting  or  from  long  journeys,  or  from 
rupture,4  or  sometimes  when  bitches  be  jolly,  and 

1  Inflammation  of  the  stifle  joint. 

2  Setofi.  G.  de  F.  (p.  98)  says  :  "  une  ortie  et  un  sedel  de 
corde."  His  word  sedel  came  from  the  Spanish  sedal.  The 
English  "seton"  comes  from  seta,  a  hair,  because  hair  was 
originally  employed  as  the  inserted  material. 

3  Testicles. 

4  The  following  words,  which  are  in  Shirley  MS.  and  in  G. 
de  F.,  are  left  out  :  "  some  tyme  for  they  more  foundeth  as 
an  hors." 


io4        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

they  may  not  come  to  them  at  their  ease  as  they 
would,  and  that  the  humours  runneth  into  the 
ballocks,  and  sometimes  when  they  be  smitten 
upon  in  hunting  or  in  other  places.  To  this  sick- 
ness and  to  all  others  in  that  manner,  the  best 
help  is  for  to  make  a  purse  of  cloth  three  or  four 
times  double,  and  take  linseed  and  put  it  within, 
and  put  it  in  a  pot,  and  let  it  mingle  with  wien, 
and  let  them  well  boil  together,  and  mix  it  always 
with  a  stick,  and  when  it  is  well  boiled  put  it 
within  the  purse  that  I  spoke  of,  as  hot  as  the 
hound  may  suffer  it,  and  put  his  ballocks  in  that 
purse,  and  bind  it  with  a  band  betwixt  the  thighs 
above  the  back,  make  well  fast  the  ballocks  up- 
wards, and  leave  a  hole  in  the  cloth  for  to  put 
out  the  tail  and  his  anus,  and  another  hole  before 
for  the  yerde  so  that  he  may  scombre  and  piss 
and  renew  that  thing  once  or  twice  until  the  time 
that  he  be  whole.  Also  it  is  a  well  good  thing 
for  a  man  or  for  a  horse  that  hath  this  sickness.1 

1  The  Shirley  MS.  has  the  following  ending  to  this  chapter  : 
"And  God  forbid  that  for  (a)  little  labour  or  cost  of  this 
medicine,  man  should  see  his  good  kind  hound  perish,  that 
before  hath  made  him  so  many  comfortable  disports  at  divers 
times  in  hunting,"  which  is  not  taken  from  G.  de  F. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

OF  RUNNING  HOUNDS  AND  OF  THEIR  NATURE 

A  running  hound  is  a  kind  of  hound  there  be 
few  men  that  have  not  seen  some  of  them.  Never- 
theless I  shall  devise  how  a  running  hound  shall 
be  held  for  good  and  fair,  and  also  shall  I  devise 
of  their  manners.  Of  all  hues  of  running  hounds, 
there  are  some  which  be  good,  and  some  which 
be  bad  or  evil  as  of  greyhounds.  But  the  best 
hue  of  running  hounds  and  most  common  for  to 
be  good,  is  called  brown  tan.  Also  the  goodness 
of  running  hounds,  and  of  all  other  kinds  of  good 
hounds,  cometh  of  true  courage  and  of  the  good 
nature  of  their  good  father  and  of  their  good 
mother.  And  also  as  touching  greyhounds,  men 
may  well  help  to  make  them  good  by  teaching  as 
by  leading  them  to  the  wood  and  to  fields,  and  to 
be  always  near  them,  in  making  of  many  good 
curées  when  they  have  done  well,  and  of  rating  at 
and  beating  them  when  they  have  done  amiss,  for 
they  are  beasts,  and  therefore  have  they  need  to 
learn  that  which  men  will  they  should  do.  A 
running   hound   should   be   well  born,   and   well 

grown  of  body,  and  should  have  great  nostrils  and 

105 


io6         THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

open,  and  a  long  snout,  but  not  small,  and  great 
lips  and  well  hanging  down,  and  great  eyes  red  or 
black,  and  a  great  forehead  and  great  head,  and 
large  ears,  well  long  and  well  hanging  down,  broad 
and  near  the  head,  a  great  neck,  and  a  great  breast 
and  great  shoulders,  and  great  legs  and  strong, 
and  not  too  long,  and  great  feet,  round  and  great 
claws,  and  the  foot  a  little  low,  small  flanks  and 
long  sides,  a  little  pintel  not  long,  small  hanging 
ballocks  and  well  trussed  together,  a  good  chine 
bone  and  great  back,  good  thighs,  and  great  hind 
legs  and  the  hocks  straight  and  not  bowed,  the 
tail  great  and  high,  and  not  cromping  up  on  the 
back,  but  straight  and  a  little  cromping  upward. 
Nevertheless'  I  have  seen  some  running  hounds 
with  great  hairy  tails  the  which  were  very  good. 
Running  hounds  hunt  in  divers  manners,  for  some 
followeth  the  hart  fast  at  the  first,  for  they  go 
lightly  and  fast  and  when  they  have  run  so  awhile, 
they  have  hied  them  so  fast  that  they  be  relaxed 
and  all  breathless,  and  stop  still  and  leave  the  hart 
when  they  should  chase  him.  This  kind  of  run- 
ning hounds  men  should  find  usually  in  the  land 
of  Basco  and  Spain.  They  are  right  good  for  the 
wild  boar,  but  are  not  good  for  the  hart,  for  they 
be  not  good  to  enchase  at  a  long  flight,  but  only 
for  to  press  him,  for  they  seek  not  well,  and  they 
run  not  well  nor  they  hunt  not  (well)  from  a 
distance,  for  they  be  accustomed  to  hunt  close. 


HOUNDS   AND   THEIR   NATURE     107 

And  at  the  beginning  they  have  shown  their  best. 
Other  manners  of  running  hounds  there  are  which 
hunt  a  good  deal  more  slowly  and  heavily,  but  as 
they  begin,  so  they  hold  on  all  the  day.  These 
hounds  force  not  so  soon  a  hart  as  the  other,  but 
they  bring  him  best  by  mastery  and  strength  to 
his  end,  for  they  retrieve  and  scent  the  line  better 
and  farther,  because  they  are  somewhat  slow. 
They  must  hunt  the  hart  from  farther  off,  and 
therefore  they  scent  the  fues  better  than  the  other 
that  goes  so  hastily  without  stopping  until  the 
time  that  they  be  weary.  A  bold  hound  should 
never  complain  or  howl,  unless  if  he  were  out  of 
the  rights.  And  also  he  should  again  seek  the 
rights,  for  a  hart  flieth  and  ruseth.  Commonly 
a  bold  hound  hunteth  with  the  wind  when  he  seeth 
his  time.  He  dreads  his  master  and  understands 
him  and  does  as  he  bids  him.  A  bold  hound 
should  not  leave  the  hart  neither  for  rain,  nor  for 
heat,  nor  for  cold,  nor  for  any  evil  weather,  but 
at  this  time  there  be  few  such,  and  also  should 
he  hunt  the  hart  well  by  himself  without  help  of 
man,  as  if  the  man  were  always  with  him.  But  alas! 
I  know  not  now  any  such  hounds.  Hounds  there 
are  which  be  bold  and  brave;  and  be  called  bold 
for  they  are  bold  and  good  for  the  hart,  for  when 
the  hart  comes  in  danger1  they  will  chase  him, 

1  Danger  of  his  being  lost  to  the  hounds. 


io8         THE    MASTER    OF    GAME 

but  they  will  not  open *  nor  quest  while  he  is 
among  the  change,  for  dread  to  envoyse  2  and  do 
amiss,  but  when  they  have  dissevered 3  him,  then 
they  will  open  and  hunt  him  and  should  over- 
come the  hart  well,  and  perfectly  and  masterfully 
throughout  all  the  change.  These  hounds  be  not 
so  good  nor  so  perfect  as  be  the  bold  hounds  before 
said  to  most  men  for  two  reasons,4  that  one  reason 
is  for  they  hunt  not  at  men's  best  pleasure  for  they 
hunt  nought  but  the  hart,  and  the  first  bold  hound 
hunts  all  manner  of  beasts  that  his  master  will 
uncouple  him  to.  He  opens  always  through  all 
the  changes,  and  a  bold  hound  for  the  hart  opens 
not  for  the  hart,  as  I  have  said  when  the  hart  is 
amid  the  changes.  He  dreadeth  where  he  goeth 
that  men  see  him  lest  he  do  amiss  or  envoise,  but 
men  cannot  always  see  him.5  Of  this  kind  of 
hound  have  I  seen  many  a  one.     There  be  other 

1  Challenge — i.e.  the  noise  the  hounds  make  on  finding  the 
scent  of  an  animal. 

2  Get  off  the  line. 

3  Separated  him  from  the  other  deer. 

4  From  here  to  the  middle  of  the  13th  line  on  the  next  page 
the  text  is  copied  from  the  Shirley  MS.,  the  scribe  who  wrote 
the  Vespasian  B.  XII.  MS.  having  made  a  mistake  in  his 
transcript,  copying  on  folio  65  the  folio  64,  which  therefore 
appears  twice  over,  to  the  exclusion  of  the  matter  here  copied 
from  the  Shirley  MS. 

5  This  sentence  is  difficult  to  understand  without  consulting 
G.  de  F.  (p.  no),  who  says  :  "as  the  hound  does  not  challenge 
when  the  stag  is  with  change,  one  does  not  know  where  he  is 
going  unless  one  sees  him,  and  one  cannot  always  see  him." 


HOUNDS   AND    THEIR    NATURE     109 

kinds  of  hounds  which  men  beyond  the  sea  call 
hart  hounds,  good  and  restrained  hart  hounds.1 
They  hunt  no  other  beast  but  the  hart,  and  there- 
fore they  are  called  hart  hounds  and  bold  hounds, 
for  they  be  bold  and  good  and  wise  for  the  hart  ; 
they  be  called  restrained,  because  if  the  hart  fall 
among  the  change  they  should  abide  still2  until 
the  hunter  come,  and  when  they  see  their  master 
they  make  him  welcome,  and  wag  their  tails  upon 
him,  and  will  by-piss  the  way  and  the  bushes, 
but  in  England  men  make  them  not  so.  These  be 
good  hounds  of  our  land,  but  not  so  good  as  the 
bold  hounds  aforesaid.  They  be  well  wise,  for  they 
know  well  that  they  should  not  hunt  the  change, 
and  they  are  not  so  wise  as  to  dissever  the  hart 
from  the  change,  for  they  abide  still  and  restive. 
These  hounds  I  hold  full  good,  for  the  hunter 
that  knows  them  may  well  help  them  to  slay  the 
hart.  None  of  all  these  three  kinds  of  hounds 
hunt  at  the  hart  in  rutting  time,  unless  it  be  the 
good  bold  hound,3  which  is  the  best  of  all  other 
hounds.  The  best  sport  that  men  can  have  is 
running  with  hounds,  for  if  he  hunt  at  hare  or 
at  the  roe  or  at  buck  or  at  the  hart,  or  at  any  other 

1  G.  de  F.  :  "  cerfs  baus  restifz  "  is  the  name  which  he  gives 
these  hounds. 

2  G.  de  F.  adds  :  "and  remain  quite  quiet." 

3  "  Le  chien  baud,15  G.  de  F.,  p.  ni.     See  Appendix  :  Run- 
ning Hounds. 


no        THE    MASTER   OF   GAME 

beast  without  greyhound  x  it  is  a  fair  thing,  and 
pleasant  to  him  that  loveth  them  ;  the  seeking 
and  the  finding  is  also  a  fair  thing,  and  a  great 
liking  to  slay  them  with  strength,  and  for  to  see 
the  wit  and  the  knowledge  that  God  hath  given 
to  good  hounds,  and  for  to  see  good  recovering 
and  retrieving,  and  the  mastery  and  the  subtleties 
that  be  in  good  hounds.  For  with  greyhounds 
and  with  other  kinds  of  hounds  whatever  they  be, 
the  sport  lasteth  not,  for  anon  a  good  greyhound 
or  a  good  alaunte  taketh  or  faileth  a  beast,  and  so 
do  all  manner  of  hounds  save  running  hounds, 
the  which  must  hunt  all  the  day  questeying  and 
making  great  melody  in  their  language  and  saying 
great  villainy  and  chiding  the  beasts  that  they 
chase.  And  therefore  I  prefer  them  to  all  other 
kinds  of  hounds,  for  they  have  more  virtue  it 
seems  to  me  than  any  other  beast.  Other  kind 
of  hounds  there  be  the  which  open  and  jangle 
when  they  are  uncoupled,  as  well  when  they  be 
not  in  her  fues  (on  their  line),  and  when  they 
be  in  her  fues  they  questey 2  too  much  in  seeking 
their  chase  whatever  it  be,  and  if  they  learn  the 
habit  when  they  are  young  and  are  not  chastised 

1  The  text  of  the  MS.  differs  from  G.  de  F.,  who  says  if  one 
hunts  stags  "ou  autres  bestes  en  traillant  sans  limier"  (drawing 
from  them  without  having  first  harboured  them  with  a  lymer), 
and  does  not  say  "without  greyhounds"  ;  p.  m. 

2  G.  de  F.  has  here  :  "  Ils  crient  trop  en  quérant  leur  beste 
quelle  que  soit,"  p.  m. 


HOUNDS   AND   THEIR   NATURE     in 

thereof,  they  will  evermore  be  noisy  and  wild, 
and  namely  when  they  seek  their  chase,  for  when 
the  chase  is  found,  the  hounds  cannot  questey  too 
much  so  that  they  be  in  the  fues.1  And  to  rente 
and  make  hounds  there  are  many  remedies.  There 
be  also]  many  kinds  of  running  hounds,  some  small 
and  some  big,  and  the  small  be  called  kenets,  and 
these  hounds  run  well  to  all  manner  of  game,  and 
they  {that)  serve  for  all  game  men  call  them  harriers? 
And  every  hound  that  hath  that  courage  will  come  to 
be  a  harrier  by  nature  with  little  making.  But  they 
need  great  nature  and  making  in  youth,  and  great 
labour  to  make  a  hound  run  boldly  to  a  chase  where 
there  is  great  change,  or  other  chases.  Hounds 
which  are  not  perfectly  wise  take  the  change 
commonly  from  May  until  St.  John's  tide  (June 
24th),  for  then  they  find  the  change  of  hinds. 
The  hinds  will  not  fly  far  before  the  hounds,  but 
they  turn  about  and  the  hound  sees  them  very 
often,  and  therefore  they  run  to  them  with  a 
better  will,  because  they  keep  near  their  calves  the 
which  cannot  fly,  therefore  they  hunt  them  gladly  ; 
and  commonly  when  the  harts  go  to  rut,  hounds 
hunt  the  change,  for  the  harts  and  the  hinds  be 
commonly  standing  in  herds  together,  and  so  they 

1  "The  hounds  cannot  challenge  too  loudly  when  they  are 
on  the  line."     G.  de  F.  :  "  Chien  ne  peut  trop  crier,"  p.  112. 

2  From  Mid.  Eng.  harien,  harren,  to  harry  or  worry  game. 
See  Appendix  :  Harrier. 


ii2        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

find  them  and  run  to  them  sooner  than  at  any 
other  time  of  the  year.  Also  the  hounds  scent 
worse  from  May  until  St.  John's  time  than  in 
any  other  time  of  all  the  year,  for  as  I  shall  say 
the  burnt  heath  and  the  burning  of  fields  taketh 
away  the  scent  from  the  hounds  of  the  beasts  that 
they  hunt.  Also  in  that  time  the  herbs  be  best 
and  flowers  in  their  smelling,  each  one  in  their 
kind,  and  when  the  hounds  hope  to  scent  the  beast 
that  they  hunt,  the  sweet-smelling  of  the  herbs 
takes  the  scent  of  the  beast  from  them. 


CHAPTER  XV 

OF  GREYHOUNDS  AND  OF  THEIR  NATURE 

The  greyhound  is  a  kind  of  hound  there  be  few 
which  have  not  seen  some.  Nevertheless  for  to 
devise  how  a  greyhound  should  be  held  for  good 
and  fair,  I  shall  devise  their  manner.  Of  all 
manner  of  greyhounds  there  be  both  good  and 
bad,  nevertheless  the  best  hue  is  red  fallow  with 
a  black  muzzle.  The  goodness  of  greyhounds 
comes  of  right  courage,  and  of  the  good  nature 
of  their  father  and  their  mother.  And  also  men 
may  well  help  to  make  them  good  in  the  encharn- 
ing 1  of  them  with  other  good  greyhounds,  and  feed 
them  well  with  the  best  that  he  taketh.  The 
good  greyhound  should  be  of  middle  size,  neither 
too  big  nor  too  little,  and  then  he  is  good  for  all 
beasts.  If  he  were  too  big  he  is  nought  for  small 
beasts,  and  if  he  were  too  little  he  were  nought 
for  the  great  beasts.  Nevertheless  whoso  can 
maintain  both,  it  is  good  that  he  have  both  of  the 
great  and  of  the  small,  and  of  the  middle  size. 
A  greyhound  should  have  a  long  head  and  some- 

1  Encharning,  feed  with  the  flesh  of  game,  to  blood. 


"3 


H 


ii4        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

what  large  made,  resembling  the  making  of  a 
bace1  (pike).  A  good  large  mouth  and  good 
seizers  the  one  against  the  other,  so  that  the 
nether  jaw  pass  not  the  upper,  nor  that  the  upper 
pass  not  the  nether.  Their  eyes  are  red  or  black 
as  those  of  a  sparrow  hawk,  the  ears  small  and 
high  in  the  manner  of  a  serpent,  the  neck  great 
and  long  bowed  like  a  swan's  neck,  his  chest  great 
and  open,  the  hair  under  his  chyn  hanging  down 
in  the  manner  of  a  lion.2  His  shoulders  as  a 
roebuck,  the  forelegs  straight  and  great  enough 
and  not  too  high  in  the  legs,  the  feet  straight  and 
round  as  a  cat,  great  claws,  long  head  as  a  cow 3 
hanging  down. 

The  bones  and  the  joints  of  the  chine  great 
and  hard  like  the  chine  of  a  hart.  And  if  his 
chine  be  a  little  high  it  is  better  than  if  it  were 
flat.  A  little  pintel  and  little  ballocks,  and  well 
trussed  near  the  ars,  small  womb,4  the  hocks 
straight   and    not   bent   as  of  an  ox,  a  cat's  tail 

1  Should  be  "  luce,"  and  G.  de  F.  has  "  luz,"  from  Lat.  lucius, 
pike,  p.  103. 

2  G.  de  F.,  p.  104,  says  :  "La  harpe  bien  avalée  en  guise  de 
lion,"  harpe  meaning  in  this  instance  "  flanks." 

3  "Long  head  as  a  cow"  is  evidently  a  mistake  of  translator 
or  scribe.  G.  de  F.  has  :  "  le  costé  lone  comme  une  biche  et 
bien  avalé"  ("the  sides  long  as  a  hind,  and  hanging  down 
well"). 

4  The  following  words  should  be  added  here,  a  line  having 
been  omitted  by  the  scribe  :  "and  straight  near  the  back  as  a 
lamprey,  the  thighs  great  and  straight  as  a  hare."  They  are 
in  Shirley  MS.  and  G.  de  F.,  p.  104. 


I  cr  u  attr  d  le  mucucr  dla uiUc. 
crComorpoulrôrfpcus.cartfc 

lUCUgueUt  ICS  0501UTS  ftb'/JOU 

ritacs.tr  ditOî  gnrtnirtWoftti 
ce  leur  uiauhr.  cr  Conr  tons 
pur  la  fttircr  Ces  ours  cr  on> 
fangtiers.ou  fotr  duce  ictutcrr 
du  n  nrou  fou  mice  rinciu  ; 
roumu;  mx  dim>  crcamlcs 
fom  uuquaurvu  fmtgicr 
eft  en  unfo:r  pays .  ta  îr  tour 
le  lour  parducururr  uc  X\)tîc 
toir  pour  les  rtucus  coumm. 


*4 


<?r  quant  on  çrre  retfc  mafti 
natHr.ou  tu  le  pica  eut  en 
nu  les  fom. cric  font  tuer  d 
dttnttt  {mmu c. ou  il?  it  (birr 
Unôier  le  pops  quu  ne  exnioi 
moauts  'cngimurnr  aux 
dtetu-CtmUQ  Tour  tutone 
pour  umumer  ôrutiu-ftoofu 
tnr  te  otuu>  qttnur  lejyleinv 
ôuttiiair. 


vDpdp^cs  ccutfcOulamcr  crue  coure fauauttt. 


THE  SMOOTH  AND  THE  ROUGH-COATED  GREYHOUNDS 

(From  MS.  f.  fr.  616,  Bib.  XaL,   Paris) 


GREYHOUNDS:    THEIR   NATURE     115 

making  a  ring  at  the  end  and  not  too  high,  the 
two  bones  of  the  chine  behind  broad  of  a  large 
palm's  breadth  or  more.  Also  there  are  many 
good  greyhounds  with  long  tails  right  swift.  A 
good  greyhound  should  go  so  fast  that  if  he  be 
well  slipped  he  should  overtake  any  beast,  and 
there  where  he  overtakes  it  he  should  seize  it 
where  he  can  get  at  it  the  soonest,  nevertheless  he 
shall  last  longer  if  he  bite  in  front  or  by  the  side} 
He  should  be  courteous  and  not  too  fierce, 
following  well  his  master  and  doing  whatever  he 
command  him.  He  shall  be  good  and  kindly 
and  clean,  glad  and  joyful  and  playful,  well  will- 
ing and  goodly  to  all  manner  of  folks  save  to  the 
wild  beasts  to  whom  he  should  be  fierce,  spiteful 
and  eager. 

1  In  lieu  of  this  original  passage  G.  de  F.,  p.  105,  has  :  "  sans 
abayer,  et  sans  marchander"  ("  without  baying  or  bargaining"). 


CHAPTER  XVI 

OF  ALAUNTES  AND  OF  THEIR  NATURE 

An  alaunte  is  of  the  manner  and  nature  of  hounds. 
And  the  good  alauntes  be  those  which  men  call 
alauntes  gentle.  Others  there  be  that  men  call 
alauntes  veutreres,  others  be  alauntes  of  the 
butcheries.  They  that  be  gentle  should  be  made 
and  shaped  as  a  greyhound,  even  of  all  things  save 
of  the  head,  the  which  should  be  great  and  short. 
And  though  there  be  alauntes  of  all  hues,  the  true 
hue  of  a  good  alaunte,  and  that  which  is  most 
common  should  be  white  with  black  spots  about 
the  ears,  small  eyes  and  white  standing  ears  and 
sharp  above.  Men  should  teach'  alauntes  better, 
and  to  be  of  better  custom  than  any  other  beasts, 
for  he  is  better  shaped  and  stronger  for  to  do 
harm  than  any  other  beast.  And  also  commonly 
alauntes  are  stordy  *  (giddy)  of  their  own  nature 
and  have  not  such  good  sense  as  many  other 
hounds  have,    for  if  a  man  prick 2    a   horse    the 

1  G.  de  F.  has  "  estourdiz,"  which  the  "  Master  of  Game  " 
translates  as  "  stordy  "  or  sturdy,  but  the  modern  sense  would 
be  hairbrained,  giddy,  not  sturdy. 

2  Means  chase  a  horse.  G.  de  F.  says  :  "  Se  on  court  un 
cheval,  ils  le  prennent  voulentiers,"  p.  ioo. 

116 


ALAUNTES  AND  THEIR  NATURE     117 

alauntes  will  run  gladly  and  bite  the  horse.  Also 
they  run  at  oxen  and  sheep,  and  swine,  and  at  all 
other  beasts,  or  at  men  or  at  other  hounds.  For 
men  have  seen  alauntes  slay  their  masters.  In 
all  manner  of  ways  alauntes  are  treacherous  and 
evil  understanding,  and  more  foolish  and  more 
harebrained  than  any  other  kind  of  hound.  And 
no  one  ever  saw  three  well  conditioned  and  good. 
For  the  good  alaunte  should  run  as  fast  as  a  grey- 
hound, and  any  beast  that  he  can  catch  he  should 
hold  with  his  seizers  and  not  leave  it.  For  an 
alaunte  of  his  nature  holds  faster  of  his  biting 
than  can  three  greyhounds  the  best  any  man  can 
find.  And  therefore  it  is  the  best  hound  to  hold 
and  to  nyme  (seize)  all  manner  of  beasts  and  hold 
them  fast.  And  when  he  is  well  conditioned  and 
perfect,  men  hold  that  he  is  good  among  all 
other  hounds.  But  men  find  few  that  be  perfect. 
A  good  alaunte  should  love  his  master  and  follow 
him,  and  help  him  in  all  cases,  and  do  what  his 
master  commands  him.  A  good  alaunte  should 
go  fast  and  be  hardy  to  take  all  kinds  of  beasts 
without  turning,  and  hold  fast  and  not  leave  it, 
and  be  well  conditioned,  and  well  at  his  master's 
command,  and  when  he  is  such^  men  hold,  as  I  have 
said,  that  he  is  the  best  hound  that  can  be  to  take 
all  manner  of  beasts.  That  other  kind  of  alaunte  is 
called  veutreres.  They  are  almost  shaped  as  a 
greyhound  of  full  shape,  they  have  a  great  head, 


n8        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

great  lips  and  great  ears,  and  with  such  men  help 
themselves  at  the  baiting  of  the  bull  and  at  hunting 
of  a  wild  boar,  for  it  is  their  nature  to  hold  fast, 
but  they  be  (heavy)  and  foul  (ugly)  that  if  they  be 
slain  by  the  wild  boar  or  by  the  bull,  it  is  not  very 
great  loss.  And  when  they  can  overtake  a  beast 
they  bite  it  and  hold  it  still,  but  by  themselves 
they  could  never  take  a  beast  unless  greyhounds 
were  with  them  to  make  the  beast  tarry.  That 
other  kind  of  alauntes  of  the  butcheries  is  such  as 
you  may  always  see  in  good  towns,  that  are  called 
great  butchers'  hounds,  the  which  the  butchers  keep 
to  help  them  to  bring  their  beasts  that  they  buy  in 
the  country,  for  if  an  ox  escape  from  the  butchers 
that  lead  him,  his  hounds  would  go  and  take  him 
and  hold  him  until  his  master  has  come,  and 
should  help  him  to  bring  him  again  to  the  town. 
They  cost  little  to  keep  as  they  eat  the  foul  things 
in  the  butcher's  row.  Also  they  keep  their  master's 
house,  they  be  good  for  bull  baiting  and  for  hunt- 
ing wild  boar,  whether  it  be  with  greyhounds  at 
the  tryst  or  with  running  hounds  at  bay  within  the 
covert.  For  when  a  wild  boar  is  within  a  strong 
hatte  of  wood  (thicket),  perhaps  all  day  the  running 
hounds  will  not  make  him  come  out.  And  when 
men  let  such  mastiffs  run  at  the  boar  they  take 
him  in  the  thick  spires  (wood)  so  that  any  man 
can  slay  him,  or  they  make  him  come  out  of  his 
strength,  so  that  he  shall  not  remain  long  at  bay. 


CHAPTER   XVII 

OF    SPANIELS    AND    OF    THEIR    NATURE 

Another  kind  of  hound  there  is  that  be  called 
hounds  for  the  hawk  and  spaniels,  for  their  kind 
cometh  from  Spain,  notwithstanding  that  there 
are  many  in  other  countries.  And  such  hounds 
have  many  good  customs  and  evil.  Also  a  fair 
hound  for  the  hawk  should  have  a  great  head,  a 
great  body  and  be  of  fair  hue,  white  or  tawny, 
for  they  be  the  fairest,  and  of  such  hue  they  be 
commonly  best.  A  good  spaniel  should  not  be 
too  rough,  but  his  tail  should  be  rough.  The 
good  qualities  that  such  hounds  have  are  these  : 
they  love  well  their  masters  and  follow  them 
without  losing,  although  they  be  in  a  great  crowd 
of  men,  and  commonly  they  go  before  their 
master,  running  and  wagging  their  tail,  and  raise 
or  start  fowl  and  wild  beasts.  But  their  right 
craft  is  of  the  partridge  and  of  the  quail.  It  is  a 
good  thing  to  a  man  that  hath  a  noble  goshawk 
or  a  tiercel  or  a  sparrow  hawk  for  partridge,  to 
have    such    hounds.       And    also    when    they    be 


i2o        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

taught  to  be  couchers,1  they  be  good  to  take 
partridges  and  quail  with  a  net.  And  also  they 
be  good  when  they  are  taught  to  swim  and  to  be 
good  for  the  river,  and  for  fowls  when  they  have 
dived,  but  on  the  other  hand  they  have  many 
bad  qualities  like  the  country  that  they  come 
from.  For  a  country  draweth  to  two  natures  of 
men,  of  beasts,  and  of  fowls,  and  as  men  call 
greyhounds  of  Scotland  and  of  Britain,2  so  the 
alauntes  and  the  hounds  for  the  hawk  come  out 
of  Spain,  and  they  take  after  the  nature  of  the 
generation  of  which  they  come.  Hounds  for 
the  hawk  are  fighters  and  great  barkers  if  you 
lead  them  a  hunting  among  running  hounds, 
whatever  beasts  they  hunt  to  they  will  make 
them  lose  the  line,  for  they  will  go  before  now 
hither  now  thither,  as  much  when  they  are  at 
fault  as  when  they  go  right,  and  lead  the  hounds 
about  and  make  them  overshoot  and  fail.  Also 
if  you  lead  greyhounds  with  you,  and  there  be  a 
hound  for  the  hawk,  that  is  to  say  a  spaniel,  if  he 
see  geese  or  kine,  or  horses,  or  hens,  or  oxen  or 
other  beasts,  he  will  run  anon  and  begin  to  bark 
at  them,  and  because  of  him  all  the  greyhounds 
will  run  to  take  the  beast  through  his  egging  on, 

1  Setters,  from  coucher,  to  lie  down.  G.  de  F.:  "chien 
couchant"  (p.  113). 

2  Brittany.  In  Shirley  MS.  " England  "  precedes  " Scotland." 
G.  de  F.  says  nothing  about  Scotland.  He  says  "  Bretainhe," 
meaning  Brittany  (p.  113). 


SPANIELS   AND   THEIR   NATURE     121 

for  he  will  make  all  the  riot  and  all  the  harm. 
The  hounds  for  the  hawk  have  so  many  other  evil 
habits  that  unless  I  had  a  goshawk  or  falcon  or 
hawks  for  the  river,  or  sparrow  hawk,  or  the  net, 
I  would  never  have  any,  especially  there  where  I 
would  hunt. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

OF    THE    MASTIFF    AND    OF    HIS    NATURE 

A  mastiff  is  a  manner  of  hound.  The  mastiff's 
nature  and  his  office  is  to  keep  his  master's  beasts 
and  his  master's  house,, and  it  is  a  good  kind  of 
hound,  for  they  keep  and  defend  with  all  their 
power  all  their  master's  goods.  They  be  of  a 
churlish  nature  and  ugly  shape.  Nevertheless 
there  are  some  that  come  to  be  berslettis^  and  also 
to  bring  well  and  fast  and  wanlace  (range)  about} 
Sometimes  there  be  many  good,  especially  for  men 
who  hunt  for  profit  of  the  household  to  get  flesh. 
Also  of  mastiffs  and  alaunts  there  be  (bred)  many 
good  for  the  wild  boar.  Also  from  mastiffs  and 
hounds  for  the  hawk  (there  be  bred)  hounds  that 
men  should  not  make  much  mention  of,  therefore  I 
will  no  more  speak  of  them,  for  there  is  no  great 
mastery  nor  great  readiness  in  the  hunting  that 
they  do,  for  their  nature  is  not  to  be  tenderly  nosed. 

1  Bercellettis   or  bercelettes,  hounds,  most  likely  shooting 
dogs,  from  berser,  to  shoot,  bercel,  an  archer's  butt. 

2  Wanlasour,  one  who  drives  game.     Appendix  :  Wanlace. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

WHAT  MANNER  AND  CONDITION  A  GOOD 
HUNTER  SHOULD  HAVE. 

Thou,  Sir,  whatever  you  be,  great  or  little,  that 
would  teach  a  man  to  be  a  good  hunter,  first  he 
must  be  a  child  past  seven  or  eight  years  of  age 
or  little  older,  and  if  any  man  would  say  that  I 
take  a  child  in  too  tender  age  for  to  put  him  to 
work,  I  answer  that  all  nature  shortens  and 
descends.  For  every  man  knoweth  well  that  a 
child  of  seven  years  of  age  is  more  capable  in 
these  times  of  such  things  that  he  liketh  to  learn 
than  was  a  child  of  twelve  years  of  age  (in  times 
that  I  have  seen).  And  therefore  I  put  him  so 
young  thereto,  for  a  craft  requires  all  a  man's  life 
ere  he  be  perfect  thereof.  And  also  men  say  that 
which  a  man  learns  in  youth  he  will  hold  best  in 
his  age.  And  furthermore  from  this  child  many 
things  are  required,  first  that  he.  love  his  master, 
and  that  his  heart  and  his  business  be  with  the 
hounds,  and  he  must  take 1  him,  and  beat  him 
when  he  will  not  do  what  his  master  commands 

1  "  Take  "  is  probably  the  scribe's  mistake  for  "  tache,"  teach. 
123 


i24        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

him,  until  the  time  that  the  child  dreads  to  fail. 
And  first  I  shall  take  and  teach  him  for  to  take  in 
writing  all  the  names  of  the  hounds  and  of  the 
hues  of  the  hounds,  until  the  time  that  the  child 
knoweth  them  both  by  the  hue  and  by  the  name. 
After  I  will  teach  him  to  make  clean  every  day 
in  the  morning  the  hounds'  kennel  of  all  foul 
things.  After  I  will  learn  him  to  put  before  them 
twice  a  day  fresh  water  and  clean,  from  a  well,  in 
a  vessel  there  where  the  hound  drinks,  or  fair 
running  water,  in  the  morning  and  the  evening. 
After  I  will  teach  him  that  once  in  the  day  he  empty 
the  kennel  and  make  all  clean,  and  renew  their 
straw,  and  put  again  fresh  new  straw  a  great  deal 
and  right  thick.  And  there  where  he  layeth  it  the 
hounds  should  lie,  and  the  place  where  they  should 
lie  should  be  made  of  trees  a  foot  high  from  the 
earth,  and  then  straw  should  be  laid  thereupon, 
because  the  moisture  of  the  earth  should  not  make 
them  morfounder  nor  engender  other  sicknesses 
by  the  which  they  might  be  worse  for  hunting. 
Also  that  he  be  both  at  field  and  at  wood  delivered 
(active)  and  well  eyed  and  well  advised  of  his  speech 
and  of  his  terms,  and  ever  glad  to  learn  and  that  he 
be  no  boaster  nor  jangle r. 


CHAPTER   XX 

HOW  THE  KENNEL  FOR  THE  HOUNDS  AND  THE 
COUPLES  FOR  THE  RACHES  AND  THE  ROPES 
FOR    THE    LYMER    SHOULD    BE    MADE 

The  hounds'  kennel  should  be  ten  fathoms  in 
length  and  five  in  breadth,  if  there  be  many  hounds. 
And  there  should  be  one  door  in  front  and  one 
behind,  and  a  fair  green,  where  the  sun  shineth  all 
day  from  morning  till  eve,  and  that  green  should 
be  closed  about  with  a  paling  or  with  a  wall  of 
earth  or  of  stone  of  the  same  length  and  breadth 
as  the  hounds'  kennel  is.  And  the  hinder  door  of 
the  kennel  should  always  be  open  so  that  the 
hounds  may  go  out  to  play  when  they  like,  for  it 
is  a  great  liking  to  the  hounds  when  they  may 
go  in  and  out  at  their  pleasure,  for  the  mange 
comes  to  them  later.1  In  the  kennel  should  be 
pitched  small  stones  wrapped  about  with  straw 
of  the  hounds'  litter,  unto  the  number  of  six 
stones,  that  the  hounds  might  piss  against  them. 
Also  a  kennel  should  have  a  gutter  or  two  where- 
by all  the  piss  of  the  hounds  and  all  the  other 

1  They  are  not  likely  to  get  the  mange  so  soon. 
125 


126         THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

water  may  run  out  that  none  remains  in  the  kennel. 
The  kennel  should  also  be  in  a  low  house,  and  not 
in  a  solere  (an  upper  chamber),  but  there  should 
be  a  loft  above,  so  that  it  might  be  warmer  in 
winter  and  cooler  in  summer,  and  always  by  night 
and  by  day  I  would  that  some  child  lie  or  be  in 
the  kennel  with  the  hounds  to  keep  them  from 
fighting.  Also  in  the  kennel  should  be  a  chimney 
to  warm  the  hounds  when  they  are  cold  or  when 
they  are  wet  with  rain  or  from  passing  and  swim- 
ming over  rivers.  And  also  he  should  be  taught 
to  spin  horse  hair  to  make  couples  for  the  hounds, 
which  should  be  made  of  a  horse  tail  or  a  mare's 
tail,  for  they  are  best  and  last  longer  than  if  they 
were  of  hemp  or  of  wool.  And  the  length  of  the 
hounds'  couples  between  the  hounds  should  be  a 
foot,  and  the  rope  of  a  limer  three  fathoms  and 
a  half,  be  he  ever  so  wise  a  limer  it  sufficeth. 
The  which  rope  should  be  made  of  leather  of  a  horse 
skin  well  tawed. 


^.^±^4^^    ' 


5* 


Cv  ûrmfc  ou  rtjraU  ou  les  riucits  ocuucur  acmoutrr  *  coimncur 
tl  toirclnc  tenu . 

Ccmlcticml  cotrcrtic  uc  ir  pauuttc  ouu  icucUcc 

gratw  a  oie  totfcsor  ouuuir-tomnuriJcioRçct 

long- rrcuiqOciûisr.  ûrlmgctouuuclcclniu.ccDotr 

fc  il  pa  guuir  fopfon  ûc  rf  tic  lapwrc  teniae  rci  luours 

dnau.fr  coirauoic  ouucm.  a  nu  que  les  cln  ens 

Imc  poîtt  fouine  crau  piû'CoiCiUcrûctOîôcUnnc  ; 

tic  fouac.€ctturauo  m  sic  p:acl  qiuutrtair  piaua. 

;r  taueie  un  Inau  •  mrnopaucguinrotnuiducs 

piacKouquciicColcu  fc  u>i*  /ufliiru-prucur  ciicrtrimucc 

cour  te  war.  ûrsqml  ft  leucta  àix>/5 lu ou  leur plnur .  a  pbff 

uifqucsamurquiiCcamclrra.  nu-rniftjucioiçjHcur.cccoirj 

Cr  trUtippuict  toircftic  emutp  duououdmii  pra,  aurons 


ftrl>ic-î 


THE    KENNEL   AND    KENNELMEN 
(From  MS.  f.  fr.  616,  £#.  Nat.,  Paris) 


CHAPTER  XXI 

HOW  THE  HOUNDS  SHOULD  BE  LED  OUT  TO 
SCOMBRE 

Also  I  will  teach *  the  child  to  lead  out  the  hounds 
to  scombre  twice  in  the  day  in  the  morning  and 
in  the  evening,  so  that  the  sun  be  up,  especially 
in  winter.  Then  should  he  let  them  run  and  play 
long  in  a  fair  meadow  in  the  sun,  and  then  comb 
every  hound  after  the  other,  and  wipe  them  with 
a  great  wisp  of  straw,  and  thus  he  shall  do  every 
morning.  And  then  shall  he  lead  them  into  some 
fair  place  there  where  tender  grass  grows  as  corn 
and  other  things,  that  therewith  they  may  feed 
them  (selves)  as  it  is  medicine  for  them,  for  some- 
times hounds  are  sick  and  with  the  grass  that  they 
eat  they  void  and  heal  themselves. 

1  The  first  four  words  are  omitted  in  our  MS.,  but  they  are 
in  the  Shirley  MS.  and  in  others,  and  in  G.  de  F. 


127 


CHAPTER   XXII 

HOW    A    HUNTER'S    HORN    SHOULD    BE    DRIVEN 

7 "here  are  divers  kinds  of  horns,  that  is  to  say  bugles, 
great  Abbot's,  hunter  s  horns,  Ruets  (trumpets), 
small  Forester  s  horns  and  meaner  horns  of  two 
kinds.  That  one  kind  is  waxed  with  green  wax 
and  greater  of  sound,  and  they  be  best  for  good 
hunters,  therefore  will  I  devise  how  and  in  what 
fashion  they  should  be  driven.  First  a  good  hunter  s 
horn  should  be  driven  of  two  spans  in  length,  and 
not  much  more  nor  much  less,  and  not  too  crooked 
neither  too  straight,  but  that  the  flue  be  three  or 
four  fingers  up-permore  than  the  head,  that  unlearned 1 
hunters  call  the  great  end  of  the  horn.  And  also 
that  it  be  as  great  and  hollow  driven  as  it  can  for 
the  length,  and  that  it  be  shorter  on  the  side  of  the 
baldric'1  than  at  the  nether  end.  And  that  the 
head  be  as  wide  as  it  can  be,  and  always  driven 
smaller  and  smaller  to  the  flue,  and  that  it  be  well 
waxed  thicker  or  thinner  according  as  the  hunter 
thinks  that  it  will  sound  best.     And  that  it  be  the 

1  Shirley   MS.:   "lewed,"   i.e.   laewed   or  unlearned  (Strat- 
mann). 

2  Baldric,  the  belt  on  which  the  horn  was  carried. 


A    HUNTER'S   HORN  129 

length  of  the  horn  from  the  flue  to  the  binding,  and 
also  that  it  be  not  too  small  driven  from  the  binding 
to  the  flue,  for  if  it  be  the  horn  will  be  too  mean  of 
sound.  As  for  horns  for  fewterers x  and  woodmen, 
I  speak  not  for  every  small  horn  and  other  mean 
horn  unwaxed  be  good  enough  for  them. 

1  Fewterer,  the  man  who  held  the  greyhounds  in  slips  or 
couples. 


CHAPTER   XXIII 

HOW  A    MAN    SHOULD    LEAD    HIS   GROOM    IN  QUEST 
FOR  TO   KNOW  A   HART  BY   HIS  TRACE 

Then  should  his  groom  lead  his  lymer  (tracking 
hound)  in  quest  after  him  in  the  morning,  and 
teach  him  to  know  what  difference  is  between  a 
hart's  trace  and  a  hind's.  As  I  have  said  before, 
this  word  quest  is  a  term  of  hart  hunters  beyond  the 
sea,  and  is  as  much  for  to  say  as  when  the  hunter 
goeth  to  find  of  a  hart  and  to  harbour  him.  For  to 
know  a  great  hart's  trace  from  a  young,  and  to 
know  the  trace  of  a  young  deer  of  antler  from  a 
hind's,  and  how  many  judgments  and  what  know- 
ledge there  be,  and  for  to  make  more  certain 
thereof,  he  should  have  an  old  hart's  foot  and  a 
young  hart's  and  a  hind's  foot  also,  and  should 
put  it  in  hard  earth  and  in  soft,  and  once  put  it 
fast  in  the  earth  as  though  the  hart  were  hunted 
and  another  time  soft,  as  if  the  hart  went  a  pase 
(slowly),  thereby  he  may  advise  him  to  know  the 
differences  of  a  hart's  feet,  and  he  shall  find  that 
there  is  no  deer  so  young  if  he  be  from  a  brocket 
upwards,  that  his  talon  (heel)  is  not  larger  and 

better  and  hath  greater   ergots  (dew  claws')  than 

i3o 


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HOW   TO   KNOW   A   HART       131 

hath  a  hind,  and  commonly  longer  traces.  Never- 
theless there  are  some  hounds  well  traced,  which 
have  the  sole  of  the  foot  as  a  staggard  or  a  small 
stag,  but  the  talon  and  the  ergots  are  not  so  great 
nor  so  large.  Also  a  great  hart  and  an  old  one 
has  a  better  sole  to  his  foot,  and  a  better  talon 
and  better  bones  and  greater  and  larger  than  has 
a  young  deer  or  hind.  And  so  in  putting  in  the 
earth  the  hart's  foot  and  the  hind's  foot  as  I  have 
said,  he  shall  know  the  difference  and  better  than 
I  can  devise.  And  also  the  hinds  commonly  have 
their  traces  more  hollow  than  a  staggard  or  a  stag, 
and  more  open  the  cleeves  (toes)  in  front  than 
a  hart  of  ten,  for  of  the  others  reck  I  never. 
The  judgment  is  in  the  talon  (when  it  is  great 
and  large  ;  and  in  the  sole  of  the  foot) 1  when  it 
is  great  and  broad,  and  the  point  of  the  foot 
broad.  And  men  have  seen  a  great  hart  and  an 
old  one,  the  which  had  hollow  traces,  and  that 
cannot  matter  so  that  he  hath  the  other  signs 
before  said.  For  a  hollow  trace  and  sharp  cleeves 
betoken  no  other  thing  than  that  the  country  the 
hart  hath  haunted  is  a  soft  country  or  hard,  and 
where  there  be  but  few  stones,  or  that  he  has  been 
hunted  but  little.  And  also  if  a"  man  find  such  a 
hart,  and  men  ask  him  what  hart  it  is,  he  may  answer 

1  The  words  in  brackets  have  been  omitted  in  our  MS.  but 
are  in  the  Shirley  MS.  and  G.  de  F.  p.  129  ;  they  have  been 
thus  inserted  to  complete  the  sense. 


132        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

that  it  is  a  hart  chaceable  of  ten,  that  should  not 
be  refused.  And  if  he  sees  an  hart's  foot  that 
hath  these  signs  aforesaid  the  which  are  great  and 
broad,  he  may  say  that  it  is  an  hart  that  some 
time  had  borne  ten  tines,  and  if  he  see  that  the 
aforesaid  signs  are  greater  and  broader  he  may 
say  that  it  is  a  great  hart  and  an  old  (one),  and 
this  is  all  he  may  say  of  the  hart.  Also  he  should 
call  the  foot  of  the  hart  the  trace,  and  of  the 
wild  boar  also.  Also  the  hunters  of  beyond  the  sea 
call  of  an  hart  and  of  a  boar  the  routes  and 
the  pace  (path)  and  both  is  one.  Nevertheless 
pace,  they  call  their  goings  where  a  beast  goes 
in  the  routes,  there  where  he  has  passed,  never- 
theless I  would  not  set  this  in  my  book,  but  for 
as  much  as  I  would  E?iglish  hunters  should  know 
some  of  the  terms  that  hunters  use  beyond  the  sea, 
but  not  with  intent  to  call  them  so  in  England. 


CHAPTER   XXIV 

HOW  A  MAN  SHOULD  KNOW  A  GREAT  HART 
BY  THE  FUMES  1 

After  I  shall  teach  you  to  know  a  great  hart 
by  the  fumes  of  the  hart,  for  sometimes  they 
crotey  in  wreaths,  and  sometimes  flat  and  some- 
times formed,  and  sometimes  sharp  at  both  ends, 
and  sometimes  pressed  together,  and  sometime  in 
many  other  manners  as  I  have  said  before.  When 
they  crotey  flat  and  it  be  in  April  or  in  May  or  in 
June  if  the  croteyes  be  great  and  thick  it  is  a 
token  that  it  is  a  hart  chaceable,  and  if  he  find 
the  fumes  wreathed,  and  it  be  from  the  middle  of 
June  to  the  middle  of  August  in  great  forms  and 
in  great  wreaths  and  well  soft,  it  is  a  token  that 
it  is  a  hart  chaceable,  and  if  he  find  the  fumes 
that  are  formed  and  not  holding  together  as  it 
is  from  the  beginning  of  July  into  the  end  of 
August,  if  they  are  great  and  black  and  long  and 
are  not  sharp  at  the  ends,  and  are  heavy  and  dry 
without  slime,  it  is  a  token  that  it  is  a  hart  chace- 
able.    And  if  the  fumes  are  faint  and  light  and 

1  See  Appendix  :  Excrements. 

133 


134        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

full  of  slime,  or  sharp  at  both  ends,  or  at  one  end, 
these  are  the  tokens  that  he  is  no  deer  chaceable. 
But  if  it  be  when  they  burnish  that  they  crotey 
their  fumes  more  burnt  and  more  sharp  at  the 
one  end,  but  anon  when  they  have  burnished, 
they  crotey  their  fumes  as  before,  and  for  that 
the  fumes  be  good  and  great  ;  if  they  be  slimy  it 
is  a  token  that  he  has  suffered  some  disease. 
From  the  end  of  August  forward,  the  fumes  are 
of  no  judgment  for  they  undo  themselves  for 
the  rut. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

HOW  A  MAN  SHOULD  KNOW  A  GREAT  HART  BY 
THE  PLACE  WHERE  HE  HATH  FRAYED  HIS 
HEAD 

Furthermore  ye  should  know  a  great  hart  by 
the  fraying  (for  if  ye  find  where  the  hart  hath 
frayed),1  and  see  that  the  wood  is  great  where  he 
hath  frayed,  and  he  hath  not  bent  it,  and  the  tree 
is  frayed  well  high,  and  he  hath  frayed  the  bark 
away,  and  broken  the  branches  and  wreathed 
them  a  good  height,  and  if  the  branches  are  of  a 
good  size,  it  is  a  sign  that  he  is  a  great  hart  and 
that  he  should  bear  a  high  head  and  well  troched, 
for  by  the  troching2  he  breaketh  such  high  the 
boughs  that  he  cannot  fold  them  under  him. 
For  if  the  fraying  were  bare  and  he  had  frayed  the 
boughs  under  him,  it  is  no  token  that  it  be  a 
great  hart,  and  especially  if  the  trees  where  he 
had  frayed  were  small.  Nevertheless  men  have 
seen  some  great  deer  fray  sometimes  to  a  little 
tree,  but  not  commonly,  but  a  young  deer  shall 

1  The  words  in  brackets  are  omitted  in  our  MS.  but  are  in 
the  Shirley  MS.  and  in  G.  de  F.  p.  132. 

2  The  tines  at  top.     See  Appendix  :  Antler. 


136        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

ever  more  1  fray  to  a  great  tree,  and  therefore 
should  ye  look  at  several  frayings.  And  if  ye 
see  the  aforesaid  tokens  oftener  upon  the  great 
trees  than  upon  the  small  ye  may  deem  him  a 
great  hart.  And  if  the  frayings  be  continually 
in  small  trees  and  low,  he  is  not  chaceable  and 
should  be  refused.  Also  ye  may  know  a  great 
hart  by  his  lairs.  When  a  great  hart  shall  come 
in  the  morning  from  his  pasture,  he  shall  go  to 
his  lair  and  then  a  great  while  after  he  shall  rise 
and  go  elsewhere  there  where  he  would  abide  all 
the  day.  Then  when  ye  shall  rise  and  come  to 
the  lair  there  where  the  hart  hath  lain  and  rested, 
if  ye  see  it  great  and  broad  and  well  trodden  and 
the  grass  well  pressed  down,  and  at  the  rising 
when  he  passeth  out  of  his  lair,  if  ye  see  that  the 
foot  and  the  knees  have  well  thrust  down  the 
earth  and  pressed  the  grass  down  it  is  a  token 
that  it  is  a  great  deer  and  a  heavy  (one).  And  if 
at  the  rising  he  make  no  such  tokens,  because 
that  he  hath  been  there  but  a  little  while,  so  that 
his  lair  be  long  and  broad  ye  may  deem  him  a  hart 
chaceable.  Also  ye  may  know  a  great  hart  by  the 
bearing  of  the  wood,  for  when  a  great  hart  hath 
a  high  head  and  a  large  (one)  and  goeth  through 
a  thick  wood,  he  findeth  the   young  wood  and 

1  Ever  more  is  here  a  mistake  ;  it  should  be  never  more. 
G.  de  F.  says  :  "  Mes  jeune  cerf  ne  froyera  jà  en  gros  arbre  " 
(p.  132).     Also  in  the  Shirley  MS. 


HOW  TO  KNOW  A  GREAT  HART     137 

tender  boughs,  his  head  is  harder  than  the  wood, 
then  he  breaketh  the  wood  aside  and  mingleth 
the  boughs  one  upon  the  other,  for  he  beareth 
them  and  putteth  them  otherwise  than  they  were 
wont  to  be  by  their  own  kind.  And  when  the 
glades  of  the  woods  are  high  and  broad  then  he 
may  deem  him  a  great  hart,  for  if  he  had  not  a 
high  head  and  wide  he  could  not  make  his  ways 
high  and  large.  If  it  happen  so  that  ye  find 
such  glades  and  have  no  lymer  with  you,  if  ye 
will  know  at  what  time  this  glade  was  made,  ye 
must  set  your  visage  in  the  middle  of  this  glade, 
and  keep  your  breath,  in  the  best  wise  that  ye 
may,  and  if  ye  find  that  the  spider  hath  made  her 
web  in  the  middle  of  them,  it  is  a  token  that  it 
is  of  no  good  time  *  or  at  the  least  it  is  of  the 
middle  (of  the  noon)  of  the  day  before.  Never- 
theless ye  should  fetch  your  lymer  for  so  ye 
should  know  better.  Also  ye  may  know  a  great 
hart  by  the  steps  that  in  England  is  called  trace. 
And  that  is  called  stepping,2  when  he  steppeth  in 
a  place  where  the  grass  is  well  thick,  so  that  the 
man  may  not  see  therein  the  form  of  the  foot,  or 
when  he  steppeth  in  other  places,  where  no  grass 
is  but  dust  or  sand  and  hard  country,  where 
fallen   leaves   or  other  things   hinder  to  see  the 

1  Not  of  "  good  time  "  means  in  the  old  sporting  vocabulary 
an  old  track,  not  a  recent  one. 

2  G.  de  F.  calls  the  track  of  deer  on  grass  "foulées"  from 
which  the  modern  "  foil,"  "  stepping  on  grass,"  is  derived. 


138         THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

form  of  the  foot.  And  when  the  hart  steppeth 
upon  the  grass  and  ye  cannot  see  the  stepping  with 
your  eyes,  then  ye  shall  put  your  hand  in  the 
form  of  the  foot  that  hunters  call  the  trace,  and 
if  ye  see  that  the  form  of  the  foot  be  of  four 
fingers  of  breadth,  ye  may  judge  that  it  is  a  great 
hart  by  the  trace.  And  if  the  sole  of  the  foot  be 
of  three  fingers'  breadth  ye  may  judge  him  a  hart 
of  ten,  and  if  ye  see  that  he  hath  well  broken 
the  earth  and  trodden  well  the  grass,  it  is  a  token 
that  it  is  a  great  hart  and  a  heavy  deer.  And  if 
ye  cannot  well  see  it  for  the  hardness  of  the 
earth,  or  for  the  dust,  then  ye  must  stoop  down 
for  to  take  away  the  dust  and  blow  it  away  from 
the  form  of  the  foot  until  the  time  that  ye  may 
clearly  see  the  form  that  is  called  the  trace.  And 
if  ye  cannot  see  it  in  one  place,  ye  should  follow 
the  trace  until  the  time  that  ye  can  well  see  it  at 
your  ease.  And  if  ye  can  see  none  in  any  place, 
ye  should  put  your  hand  in  the  form  of  the  foot, 
for  then  ye  shall  find  how  the  earth  is  broke  with 
the  cleeves  of  the  foot  on  either  side,  and  then  ye 
can  judge  it  for  a  great  hart  or  a  hart  chaceable, 
as  I  have  said  before  by  the  treading  of  the  grass  ; 
and  if  leaves  or  other  things  be  within  the  form 
that  ye  may  not  see  at  your  ease,  ye  should  take 
away  the  leaves  all  softly  or  the  other  things  with 
your  hands,  so  that  ye  undo  not  the  form  of  the 
foot  and  blow  within  and  do  the  other  things  as  I 


HOW  TO  KNOW  A  GREAT  HART      139 

have  before  said.1  (After  I  will  tell  you  how  a 
man  shall  speak  among  good  hunters  of  the  office 
of  venery.)  First  he  shall  speak  but  a  little,  and 
boast  little,  and  well  (work 2)  and  subtlely,  and  he 
must  be  wise  and  do  his  craft  busily,  for  a  hunter 
should  not  be  a  herald  of  his  craft.  And  if  it 
happen  that  he  be  among  good  hunters  that 
speaketh  of  hunting  he  should  speak  in  this 
manner.  First  if  men  ask  him  of  pastures  he 
may  answer  as  of  harts  and  for  all  other  deer, 
sweet  pastures,  and  of  all  biting  beasts  as  of  wild 
boar,  wolves,  and  other  biting  beasts  he  may 
answer,  they  feed,  as  I  have  said  before.  And  if 
men  speak  of  the  fumes  ye  shall  call  fumes  of  a 
hart,  croteying  of  a  buck,  and  of  a  roebuck  in  the 
same  wise  of  a  wild  boar  and  of  black  beasts  and 
of  wolves  ye  shall  call  it  lesses,  and  of  hare  and 
of  conies  ye  shall  say  they  crotey,  of  the  fox 
wagging,  of  the  grey  the  wardrobe,  and  of  other 
stinking  beasts  they  shall  call  it  drit,  and  that  of 
the  otter  he  shall  call  sprainting  as  before  is  said. 
And  if  men  asketh  of  the  beasts'  feet,  of  the  harts 
ye  shall  say  the  trace  of  a  hart  and  also  of  a  buck, 
and  that  of  the  wild  boar  and  of  the  wolf  also 

1  A  whole  line  is  missing  here  in  our  MS.  The  words  in 
brackets  are  taken  from  the  Shirley  MS.  It  runs  :  "Affter  I 
wal  telle  yowe  a  man  howe  he  shal  speke  amonge  good  hunters 
of  y  offyce  of  venerye." 

2  The  word  "  work  "  has  been  omitted.  "  Et  bien  ouvrer 
subtilement"  (G.  de  F.  p.  134). 


i4o        THE    MASTER   OF   GAME 

they  call  traces  beyond  the  sea.  And  that  of  the 
stinking  beasts  that  men  call  vermin,  he  shall  call 
them  steps  as  I  have  said.  And  if  he  hath  seen  a 
hart  with  his  eyes,  there  are  three  kinds  of  hues 
of  them,  that  one  is  called  brown,  the  other 
yellow,  and  the  third  dun,  and  so  he  may  call 
them  as  he  thinketh  that  they  beareth  all  their 
hues.  And  if  men  ask  what  head  beareth  the 
hart  he  hath  seen,  he  shall  always  answer  by  even 
and  not  by  odd,  for  if  he  be  forked  on  the  right  side, 
and  lack  not  of  his  rights l  beneath,  and  on  the 
right 2  side  antler  and  royal  and  surroyal  and  not 
forked  but  only  the  beam,  he  shall  say  it  is  a  hart 
of  ten  at  default?  for  it  is  always  called  even  of 
the  greater  number.  And  every  buck's  tines 
should  be  reckoned  as  soon  as  a  man  can  hang  a 
baldric  or  a  leash4  thereupon  and  not  otherwise. 
And  when  a  hart  beareth  as  many  tines  on  the 
one  side  as  on  the  other,  he  may  say  if  he  be  but 
forked  that  he  is  a  hart  of  ten,  and  if  he  be  troched 
of  three  he  is  a  hart  of  twelve,  if  he  be  troched  of 
four  he  is  a  hart  of  sixteen,  always  if  it  be  seen 
that  he  hath  his  rights  beneath  as  before  is  said. 
And  if  he  lack  any  of  his  rights  beneath  he  must 

1  Brow,  bay,  and  tray  tines.     See  Appendix  :  Antler. 

2  In  Shirley  MS.  it  is  "left." 

3  Instead  of  this  original  passage  G.  de  F.  says  :  "  For  if  he 
had  on  one  side  ten  points  and  on  the  other  only  one,  it  should 
be  called  summed  of  twenty"  (p.  135). 

4  G.  de  F.  has  "spur"  instead. 


HOW  TO  KNOW  A  GREAT  HART     141 

abate  so  many  on  the  top,  for  a  hart's  head  should 
begin  to  be  described  from  the  mule  1  upwards,  and 
if  he  hath  more  by  two  on  the  one  side  than  on  the 
other,  you  must  take  from  the  one  and  count  up  that 
other  withal,  as  I  shall  more  clearly  speak  in  a 
chapter  hereafter  in  describing  a  hart's  head.  And 
if  it  be  so  that  the  hart's  trace  have  other  tokens 
than  I  have  said  and  he  thinks  him  a  hart  chace- 
able,  and  men  ask  what  hart  it  is  he  may  say  it 
is  a  hart  of  ten  and  no  more.  And  if  it  seem  to 
him  a  great  hart  and  men  ask  what  hart  it  is,  he 
shall  say  it  is  a  hart  that  the  last  year  was  of  ten 
and  should  not  be  refused.  And  if  he  happen  to 
have  well  seen  him  with  his  eye  or  the  before  said 
tokens,  so  that  he  knoweth  fully  that  it  is  as 
great  a  hart  as  a  hart  may  be,  if  men  ask  him 
what  hart  it  is,  he  may  say  it  is  a  great  hart  and 
an  old  deer.  And  that  is  the  greatest  word  that 
he  may  say  as  I  have  said  before.  And  if  men 
ask  him  whereby  he  knoweth  it,  he  may  say  for, 
he  hath  good  bones 2  and  a  good  talon  and  a  good 
sole  of  foot,  for  these  four  3  things  makes  the  trace 
great,  or  by  fair  lairs  or  the  grass  or  the  earth  well 
pressed  or  by  the  high  head,4  or  by  the  fumes  or 

1  Burr,  mule,  from  the  Fr.  meule.  2  Dew  claws. 

3  According  to  Shirley  MS.  and  the  sense,  the  "iiii  "  should 
be  omitted. 

4  G.  de  F.  (p.  136)  says  :  "Ou  belles  portées"— portées  being 
the  branches,  and  twigs  broken  or  bent  asunder  by  the  head  of 
the  deer,  termed  "entry"  or  "rack"  in  mod.  Eng. — Stuart, 
vol.  ii.  551. 


1 42        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

else  other  tokens  as  I  have  said  before.  And  if 
he  see  a  hart  that  hath  a  well  affeted  (fashioned) 
head  after  the  height  and  the  shape  and  the  tines 
well  ranged  by  good  measure,  the  one  from  the 
other,  and  men  ask  him  what  he  beareth  he  may 
answer  that  he  beareth  a  great  head  and  fair  of 
beam,  and  of  all  his  rights,  and  well  opened  ;  and 
if  a  man  ask  him  what  head  he  beareth,  he  shall 
answer  that  he  beareth  a  fair  head  by  all  tokens 
and  well  grown.  And  if  he  see  a  hart  that  hath 
a  low  head  or  a  high,  or  a  great,  or  a  small,  and 
it  be  thick  set,  high  and  low  and  men  ask  him 
what  head  he  beareth  he  may  answer  he  bears  a 
thick  set  head  after  his  making,  or  that  he  hath 
low  or  small  or  other  manner  whatever  it  be. 
And  if  he  see  a  hart  that  hath  a  diverse  head,  or 
that  antlers  grow  back  or  that  the  head  hath 
double  beams  or  other  diversities  than  other  harts 
commonly  be  wont  to  bear,  and  men  ask  what 
head  he  bears,  he  may  answer  a  diverse  head  or 
a  counterfeit  (abnormal),  for  it  is  counterfeited. 
And  if  he  see  a  hart  that  beareth  a  high  head  that 
is  wide  and  thin  tined  with  long  beams,  if  men 
ask  what  head  he  beareth,  he  shall  answer  a  fair 
head  and  wide,  and  long  beams,  but  it  is  not 
thick  set  neither  well  affeted.  And  if  he  see  a 
hart  that  hath  a  low  and  a  great  and  a  thick  set 
(head)  and  men  ask  what  head  he  beareth,  he 
may  say  he  beareth  a  fair  head  and  well  affeted. 


HOW  TO  KNOW  A  GREAT  HART     143 

And  if  men  ask  him  by  the  head  whereby  he 
knoweth  that  it  is  a  great  hart  and  an  old,  he  may 
answer,  that  the  tokens  of  the  great  hart  are  by 
the  head,  and  so  the  first  knowledge  is  when  he 
hath  great  beams  all  about  as  if  they  were  set  as 
it  were  with  small  stones,  and  the  mules  nigh  the 
head  and  the  antlers,  the  which  are  the  first  tines, 
be  great  and  long  and  close  to  the  mule  and  well 
apperyng  (pearled)  and  the  royals  which  are  the 
second  tines,  be  nigh  the  antlers,  and  of  such 
form,  save  that  they  should  not  be  so  great  ;  and 
all  the  other  tines  great  and  long  and  well  set, 
and  well  ranged  and  the  troching  as  I  have  said 
before,  high  and  great,  and  all  the  beams  all  along 
both  great  and  stony,  as  if  they  were  full  of 
gravel,  and  that  all  along  the  beams  there  be  small 
vales  that  men  call  gutters,  then  he  may  say  that 
he  knows  it  is  a  great  hart  by  the  head. 

After  I  will  tell  you  how  ye  should  know  a 
great  wild  boar,  and  for  to  know  how  to  speak 
of  it  among  hunters  of  beyond  the  sea.  And  if  a 
man  see  a  wild  boar  the  which  seemeth  to  him 
great  enough,  as  men  say  of  the  hart  chaceable  of 
ten,  he  shall  say  a  wild  boar  of  the  third  year 
that  is  without  refusal,  and  whenever  they  be  not 
of  three  years  men  call  them  swine  of  the  sounder, 
and  if  he  see  the  great  tokens  that  I  shall  rehearse 
hereafter  he  may  say  that  he  is  a  great  boar.  Of 
the  season  and  nature  of  boar  and  of  other  beasts, 


144        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

I  have  spoken  here  before.  And  if  men  ask  him 
of  a  boar's  feeding,  it  is  properly  called  of  acorns 
of  oak's  bearing,  and  of  beechmast,  the  other 
feeding  is  called  worming  and  rooting  of  the  roots 
out  of  the  earth  that  feed  him.  The  other  kind 
of  feeding  is  of  corn  and  of  other  things  that 
come  up  out  of  the  land,  and  of  flowers  and  of 
other  herbs  ;  the  other  kind  of  feeding  is  when 
they  make  great  pits,  and  go  to  seek  the  root 
of  ferns  and  of  spurge  within  the  earth.  And  if 
men  ask  whereby  he  knoweth  a  great  boar,  he  shall 
answer  that  he  knoweth  him  by  the  traces  and  by 
his  den,  and  by  the  soil  (wallowing  pool).  And 
if  men  ask  whereby  he  knoweth  a  great  boar  from 
a  young,  and  the  boar  from  the  sow,  he  shall 
answer  that  a  great  boar  should  have  long  traces 
and  the  clees  round  in  front,  and  broad  soles  of 
the  feet  and  a  good  talon,  and  long  bones,  and 
when  he  steppeth  it  goeth  into  the  earth  deep 
and  maketh  great  holes  and  large,  and  long 
the  one  from  the  other,  for  commonly  a  man 
shall  not  see  the  traces  of  a  boar  without 
seeing  also  the  traces  of  the  bones,  and  so 
shall  he  not  of  the  hart,  for  a  man  shall  see  many 
times  by  the  foot,  that  which  he  will  not  see  by 
the  ergots,  but  so  shall  he  not  see  of  the  boar. 
What  I  call  the  bones  of  the  boar,  of  the  hart  I 
call  the  ergots,  and  the  cause  that  a  man  shall 
not  know  as  well   by  the  ergots  of  the  hart  as 


HOW  TO  KNOW  A  GREAT  HART     145 

by  bones  of  the  boar  is  this,  for  the  bones  of 
the  boar  are  nearer  the  talon  than  those  of  a 
hart  are,  and  also  they  are  longer,  and  greater 
and  sharper  in  front.  And  therefore  as  soon  as 
the  form  of  the  traces  of  his  foot  is  in  the  earth, 
the  form  of  the  bones  is  there  also,  and  commonly 
a  great  boar  maketh  a  longer  trace  with  one  of  his 
claws  than  with  the  other  in  front  or  behind,  and 
sometimes  both.  And  when  a  man  seeth  the 
tokens  beforesaid  greater,  he  may  deem  him 
greater,  and  the  smaller  the  trace,  the  smaller 
the  boar.  The  sow  from  the  boar  ye  may  know 
well,  for  the  sow  maketh  not  so  good  a  talon  as 
a  right  young  boar  doth.  And  also  a  sow's 
claws  are  longer  and  sharper  in  front  than  a 
young  boar's.  And  also  her  traces  are  more 
open  in  front  and  straighter  behind,  and  the  sole 
of  the  foot  is  not  so  large  as  of  a  young  boar,  and 
her  bones  are  not  so  large  nor  so  long,  nor  so  far 
the  one  from  the  other  as  those  of  a  young  boar, 
nor  go  not  so  deep  in  the  earth,  for  they  be 
small,  and  sharp  and  short,  and  nearer  the  one  to 
the  other,  than  a  young  boar's.  And  these  are  the 
tokens  by  the  which  men  know  a  young  boar  so 
that  he  be  two  year  old  from  all  sows,  by  the  trace, 
for  that  say  I  not  of  the  young  boars  of  sounder. 
And  if  men  ask  him  how  he  shall  know  a  great 
boar  by  his  den,  he  may  answer  that  if  the  den  of 
the  boar  be  long  and  deep  and  broad,  it  is  a  token 

K 


146         THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

that  it  is  a  great  boar  so  that  the  den  be^newly 
made  and  that  he  hath  lain  therein  but  once.    And 
if  the  boar's  den  is  deep  without  litter,  and  if  the 
boar  lie  near  the  earth  it  is  a  token  that  it  is  no1 
fat  boar.     And  if  men  ask  him  how  he  knoweth 
a  great  boar  by  the  soil,  then  may  he  answer  that 
commonly  when  a  boar  goeth  to  soil  in  the  coming 
in  or  in  the  going  out,  men  may  know  by  the  trace, 
and  so  it  may  be  deemed  as  I  have  said  by  his 
wallowing  in  the  soil.      Nevertheless  some  time  he 
turneth  himself  from  the  one  side  upon  the  other, 
and  up  and  down,  but  a  man  shall  evermore  know 
the  form  of  his  body.     Also  sometimes  when  the 
boar  parteth  from  the  soil,  he  rubbeth  against  a 
tree,   and  there  a  man    may  know   his  greatness 
and  his  height.     And  some  time  he  rubs  his  snout 
and  his  head  higher  than  he  is,  but  a  man  may 
well  perceive  which  is  of  the  chine  and  which  is 
of  the  head.     For  by  his  lesses,  that  is  to  say  what 
goes  from  him  behind,  nor  by  other  judgment  a 
man  cannot  know  a  great  boar  unless  he  see  him, 
save  that  he  maketh  great  lesses,  and  that  is  a 
token  that  he  hath  a  great  bowel,  and  that  he  be 
a    great  boar,  and  also  by  the  tusks  when  he  is 
dead,   for  when  the   tusks  of  a  boar  be  great  as 
of  half  a  cubit   or  more  and  be  both  great  and 

i  G.  de  F.  (p.  139)  says  if  "le  senglier  gise  près  de  la  terre, 
c'est  signe  qu'il  ait  bonne  venoison,"  so  our  MS.  is  evidently 
wrong  when  it  says  "it  is  a  token  that  it  is  no  fat  boar." 


HOW  TO  KNOW  A  GREAT  HART     147 

large  of  two  fingers  or  more  and  there  be  small 
gutters  along  both  above  and  beneath,  these  be 
the  tokens  that  he  is  a  great  boar  and  old,  and  of 
a  smaller  boar  the  judgment  is  less.  And  also 
when  the  tusks  be  low  and  worn,  by  the  nether 
tusks  it  is  a  token  of  a  great  boar. 


CHAPTER   XXVI 

HOW  THE  ORDINANCE  SHOULD  BE  MADE  FOR 
THE  HART  HUNTING  BY  STRENGTH  AND 
HOW    THE    HART    SHOULD    BE    HARBOURED 

WHEN  the  king  or  my  lord  the  Prince  or  any  of 
their  blood  will  hunt  for  the  hart  by  strength,  the 
Master  of  the  Game  must  forewarn  on  the  previous 
evening  the  sergeant  of  the  office,  and  the  yeomen 
berners  at  horse,  and  also  the  lymerer.1  And  then 
he  must  ordain  which  of  them  three  shall  go  for  to 
harbour  the  hart,  and  with  them  the  lymerer  for  the 
morrow,  and  charge  the  foresters,  or  if  it  be  in  a 
'park,  the  farkers  to  attend  to  him  busily.  And  all 
the  four  must  accord  where  the  meeting  shall  be  on 
the  morrow,  and  he  must  charge  the  sergeant  and 
one  of  the  two  yeomen,  if  the  sergeant  be  not  there, 
to  warn  all  the  yeomen  and  grooms  of  the  office  to  be 
at  the  meeting  at  sunrise.  And  that  the  yeomen 
berners  on  foot  and  the  grooms  that  are  called 
Ch  ace  chiens  bring  with  them  the  hart  hounds  and 
this  done  ask  for  the  wine,  and  let  them  go  after. 
And  he  that  is  charged  to  harbour  the  hart  must 

1  The  man  who  leads  the  hound  in  leash  when  harbouring 

the  hart. 

148 


HART-HUNTING   BY   STRENGTH     149 

accord  with  the  forester  of  the  bailie  in  which  they 
seek  him  where  they  should  meet  in  the  grey  dawn- 
ing. Nevertheless  it  were  good  readiness  to  look  if 
they  might  see  any  deer  at  its  meating  (feeding)  the 
previous  evening  to  know  the  more  readily  where  to 
seek  and  harbour  him  on  the  morrow.  And  on  the 
morrow  when  they  meet  the  forester  that  well  ought 
to  know  of  his  great  deer's  haunts,  he  shall  lead  the 
hunter  and  the  lymerer  thither,  where  he  best  hopes 
to  see  him  or  find  of  him  without  noise.  And  if  they 
can  see  him  and  they  be  in  the  wind  they  ought  to 
withdrazv  from  him  in  the  softest  manner  they  can, 
for  dread  of  frightening  him  out  of  his  haunt,  and 
then  go  privily  till  they  be  under  the  wind.  And  as 
he  stereth  (stalks)  and  paceth  forth  feeding,  they  are 
to  draw  nigh  him  as  readily  and  warily  as  they  can 
so  that  the  deer  find  them  not.  And  when  he  has 
entered  his  covert,  and  to  his  Ugging,  they  ought  to 
tarry  till  they  know  that  he  be  entered  two  skilful 
bowshots  from  thence.  And  then  ought  the  lymerer 
by  bidding  of  the  hunter  to  cast  round  with  his 
lymer  the  quarter  that  the  deer  is  in,  if  it  be  in  a 
huge  covert,  and  if  it  be  in  a  little  covert  that  the 
deer  is  in,  set l  all  the  covert  to  know  whether  he  is 
gone  away  or  abides  there  still.     And  if  he  abides, 

1  To  set  the  covert  was  for  the  huntsman  or  limerer  with  his 
hound  on  a  leash  to  go  round  the  covert  that  he  had  seen  the 
deer  enter,  and  to  look  carefully  whether  he  could  find  any 
signs  of  the  stag  having  left  the  place.  This  in  more  modern 
parlance  is  called  making  his  ring  walks. 


150        THE   MASTER    OF   GAME 

then  shall  the  ly merer  go  there  where  the  hart  went 
in,  and  take  the  scantilon  (measure)  of  the  trace 
for  zvhich  he  should  cut  off  the  end  of  his  rod,  and 
lay  it  in  the  talon  of  the  trace,  there  where  he  went 
in  hardest  ground,  in  the  bottom  thereof  so  that  the 
scantilon  will  scarcely  touch  at  either  end.  And 
that  done  he  should  break  a  bough  of  green  leaves 
and  lay  it  there  where  the  hart  went  in,  and  cut 
another  scantilon  thereafter  to  take  to  the  hunter 
that  he  may  take  it  to  the  lord  or  to  the  Master  of 
the  Game  at  the  meeting  which  some  men  call 
Assembly.  But  on  the  other  side,  if  it  be  so  that 
they  cannot  see  him  as  before  is  said,  the  forester 
ought  to  bring  him  where  most  defoil  is  (tracks)  of 
great  male  deer  within  his  bailiewick,  and  there 
where  the  best  haunt  is,  and  most  likely  for  a  hart. 
And  when  the  harbourer  and  the  ly  merer  be  there, 
the  lymer  if  he  crosses  the  fues  of  a  deer  he  will 
anon  challenge  it,  and  then  shall  the  lymerer  take 
heed  to  his  feet  to  know  by  the  trace  what  deer  it  is 
that  the  lymer  fndeth,  and  if  he  finds  thereby  that  it 
is  no  hart  he  shall  take  up  his  hound  and  say  to  him 
softly,  not  loud,  "  Ware  rascal,  ware  !  "  And  if  it 
be  of  a  hart  that  the  lymer  findeth,  and  that  it  be 
new  he  ought  to  sue  (hunt  up)  with  as  little  noise  as 
he  can  contreongle  (hunting  heel)  to  undo  all  his 
moving^  till  he  find  his  fumes  (excrements),  which 
he  ought  to  fut  in  the  great  end  of  his  horn,  and 

1  Moving,  moves.     See  Appendix  :  Move. 


HART-HUNTING  BY    STRENGTH     151 

stop  it  with  grass  to  prevent  them  falling  out  and 
reward  his  hound  a  little.  And  that  done  come 
again  there  where  he  began  to  sue  and  sue  forth 
the  right  line  till  he  comes  to  the  entering  of  the 
quarter  vshere  he  thinks  that  the  hart  is  in.  And 
always  with  little  ?ioise  and  cast  round  the  quarters, 
if  it  be  in  a  great  covert  as  I  said  before.  And  also 
if  it  be  in  a  little  covert,  to  do  of  the  scantilon  and 
of  all  other  things  right  as  I  have  said  before.  And 
if  he  be  voided  (gone)  to  another  quarter  or  u 
and  there  be  any  other  covert  near  always  to  sue 
forth  and  cast  round  quarter  by  quarter,  and  wood 
by  wood  till  he  be  readily  harboured.  And  when  he 
is  harboured  of  the  scantilon  and  of  all  other  tl 
do  as  before  is  said,  and  then  draw  fast  to  the 
meeting  that  men  call  assembly.  And  it  is  to  be 
known  that  oftentimes  a  deer  is  harboured  by  sight 
of  man's  eye,  but  who  should  do  it  well  it  behoves 
him  to  be  a  skilful  and  wise  hunter.  Nevertheless 
to  teach  hunters  the  more  readily  to  seek  and  harbour 
a  hart  according  to  the  country  that  he  is  in,  I  have 
devised  it  in  certain  chapters  as  ye  may  hereafter 
hear. 


CHAPTER   XXVII 

HOW    A     HUNTER    SHOULD    GO    IN    QUEST    BY 
THE    SIGHT 

Afterwards  I  shall  show  you  how  a  man  should 
go  in  quest  for  the  hart  with  his  lymer  or  by  him- 
self. This  word  quest  for  the  hart  is  a  term  of 
hunters  beyond  the  sea,  and  means  when  a  man  goeih 
to  find  a  deer  and  to  harbour  him,  and  it  is  a  fair 
term  and  shorter  said  than  our  term  of  England  to 
my  seeming.  And  then  shall  the  groom  quest  in 
the  country  that  shall  be  devised  to  him  the  night 
before,  and  he  shall  rise  in  the  dawning,  and  then 
he  must  go  to  the  meating  (pasturing)  of  the  deer 
to  look  if  he  may  see  anything  to  his  liking,  and 
leave  his  lymer  in  a  certain  place  where  he  may 
not  alarm  them.  And  thence  he  should  go  to  the 
newly  hewn  wood  of  the  forest  or  other  places  where 
he  hopes  best  to  see  a  hart,  and  keep  always  from 
coming  into  the  wind  of  the  hart,  he  should  also 
climb  upon  a  tree  so  that  the  hart  shall  wind 
nothing  of  him,  and  that  he  can  see  him  further. 
And  if  he  sees  a  hart  standing  stably  he  must  look 
well  in  what  country  he  shall  go  to  his  lair,  and 

privily  repair  to  some  place  where  he  can  best  see 

152 


IN   QUEST   BY   THE   SIGHT       153 

him  and  there  break  a  bough  for  a  mark.  But  he 
must  remain  a  great  while  after,  for  some  time  a 
hart  will  stall  and  look  about  a  great  while  before 
he  will  go  to  his  lair,  and  specially  when  a  great 
dew  is  falling,  or  else  sometimes  he  cometh  out 
again  to  look  about,  and  to  listen  and  to  dry  him- 
self, and  therefore  he  should  stay  long,  so  as  not 
to  frighten  him.  Then  he  should  fetch  his  lymer 
and  cast  round  as  it  is  before  said  in  the  chapter  of 
the  harbouring  of  a  hart,  and  take  care  that  neither 
he  nor  his  hounds  make  but  little  noise  for  dread 
lest  he  void. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII 

HOW  AN  HUNTER  SHOULD  GO  IN  QUEST  BETWEEN 
THE  PLAINS  AND  THE  WOOD 

Also  a  man  may  go  in  quest  in  the  fields  in  corn, 
in  vines,  in  gardens,  and  in  other  places,  where 
the  harts  go  to  their  pasture  in  the  fields  out  of 
the  wood,  and  he  must  go  forth  right  early  so  that 
he  may  look  at  the  ground  and  judge  well,  and  if 
he  sees  anything  that  pleases  him  he  can  break 
boughs  and  lay  his  mark  and  cast  round  as  before 
is  said. 


'54 


CHAPTER   XXIX 

HOW  A  HUNTER  SHOULD  GO  IN  QUEST  IN  THE 
COPPICE  AND  THE  YOUNG  WOOD 

Also  a  man  may  go  in  quest  among  young  wood, 
and  although  he  has  been  in  the  morning  and 
(seen)  nought,  nevertheless  he  should  not  neglect 
to  quest  with  his  lymer  when  it  is  high  day  when 
all  the  deer  have  gone  to  their  lairs,  for  per- 
adventure  the  hart  will  sometimes  have  gone  into 
the  wood  before  the  hunter  and  lymer  came  to 
quest  for  him. 


155 


CHAPTER   XXX 

HOW    AN    HUNTER    SHOULD    GO    IN    QUEST    IN 
GREAT    COVERTS    AND    STRENGTHS 

Also  a  hunter  may  go  in  quest  and  put  himself 
and  his  lymer  in  the  great  thickets  by  high  time 
of  day,  as  I  have  said,  for  it  befalleth  sometimes 
that  harts  are  so  malicious,  that  they  pasture  within 
themselves,  that  is  to  say  within  their  covert,  and 
go  not  out  to  the  fields  nor  to  the  coppices  nor  to 
the  young  wood,  especially  when  they  have  heard 
the  hounds  run  before  in  the  forest  once  or  twice. 
He  must  have  affeeted  (trained)  his  lymer  in  such 
a  manner  that  he  neither  opens  nor  quests 1  when 
he  hunts  in  the  morning,  for  he  would  make  the 
hart  void,  and  that  must  be  by  high  noon,  as 
I  have  said,  when  all  beasts  are  in  their  lairs. 
And  if  his  lymer  find  anything  he  should  hold 
him  short  and  lead  him  behind  him,  and  look 
what  deer  it  is,  and  if  it  be  anything  that  pleases 
him,  then  he  shall  sue  with  his  lymer  till  the  time 
that  he  has  brought  it  into  some  thicket,  and  then 
he  shall  break  his  boughs  and  take  the  scantilon 
and  cast  round  as  is  before  said,  and  then  return 
home  again  to  the  assembly  that  in  England  is 
called  a  meeting  or  gathering. 

1  Should  not  give  tongue. 
156 


CHAPTER   XXXI 

HOW    A    HUNTER    SHOULD    QUEST    IN    CLEAR 
SPIRES    AND    HIGH    WOOD1 

Also  I  will  tell  you  how  a  hunter  should  go  in 
quest  among  clear  spires,  and  among  high  trees, 
and  specially  when  it  has  rained  the  night  before 
and  in  the  morning.  Eke  in  the  time  when  the 
heads  of  the  harts  be  tender,  commonly  they 
abide  among  clear  spires  and  in  high  woods,  for 
a  thick  country  peradventure  would  do  harm  to 
their  heads  which  be  tender.  If  he  meets  rain  as 
I  before  have  said,  or  when  their  heads  (are  tender, 
and  he  meeteth 2)  anything  that  pleaseth  him,  he 
should  not  follow  it  with  his  lymer,  for  they 
remain  in  such  a  country  as  I  have  said  in  that 
time,  that  is  to  say  in  rain  and  when  their  heads 
are  tender,  for  he  might  make  the  deer  void  into 
some  other  place  of  the  quests  as  it  is  before  said. 
And  whoso  meets  him  in  the  wood  in  sight  of  his 

1  In  the  text  of  our  MS.  (the  Vespasian)  no  break  occurs 
here,  but  in  the  table  of  chapters  at  the  beginning  of  the  MS. 
the  chapter  as  here  given  is  enumerated,  and  this  corresponds 
also  with  the  Shirley  and  other  MSS. 

2  The  scribe  who  copied  the  Vespasian  MS.  omitted  the 
bracketed  words. 

157 


158        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

eyes,  then  he  must  set  his  lymer  in  his  fues.  And 
if  it  be  a  deer  that  enter-changeth,1  that  is  to  say 
if  a  deer  puts  his  hind  feet  in  the  trace  of  the  fore- 
feet without  passing  on,  it  is  no  good  token,  but  if 
he  sets  his  hinder  feet  far  from  the  fore  feet  it  is  a 
good  token,  for  when  a  hart  entre-marcheth  it  is  a 
token  that  he  is  a  light  deer  and  well  running  and 
of  great  flight,  for  if  he  had  a  side  belly  and  great 
flanks  he  could  not  entre-marche,  but  the  contrary 
would  he  do.2  And  sometimes  when  the  hart 
makes  a  long  stride  with  the  hind  foot,  commonly 
they  cannot  fly  well,  and  have  been  little  hunted. 
And  if  he  has  of  the  fumes,  he  should  put  them  in 
his  horn  with  grass,  or  in  his  lap  3  with  grass,  for 
a  man  should  not  bear  them  in  his  hand,  for  they 
would  all  break.  And  when  he  should  meet  in 
the  fields  anything  that  pleaseth  him,  he  should 
draw  towards  his  covert,  for  to  make  him  draw 
the  sooner  to  his  stronghold,  and  when  he  findeth 
where  he  goeth  in,  then  he  should  break  a  bough 
towards  the  place  where  the  hart  is  gone,  and 
take  the  scantilon,  and  follow  him  no  further  in 
the  wood.     Then  he  should  make  a  long  turn  and 

1  See  Appendix:  Hart. 

2  The  explanation  of  this  sentence  is  that  a  stag  which  entre- 
marched  or  sur-marched,  or  in  other  words  placed  the  hind 
foot  on  the  track  or  beyond  the  track  made  by  the  front  foot, 
was  a  thin  or  light  deer,  and  therefore  not  a  fat  stag,  which 
latter  was  what  the  hunter  would  be  looking  for. 

3  Lappet  of  his  coat. 


IN   SPIRES   AND    HIGH   WOOD     159 

cast  round  about  by  some  ways  or  by-paths,  and 
if  he  sees  that  he  hath  not  passed  out  of  his  turn, 
he  may  return  again  to  the  gathering,  and  make 
them  his  report,  and  if  it  be  so  that  he  pass  there 
where  he  would  umbicast  (cast  round)  and  make 
his  turn,  and  his  lymer  before  him,  then  he  should 
look  if  it  is  the  same  hart  he  had  umbicast  (cast 
round),  and  if  he  cannot  well  see  at  his  ease,  then  he 
should  reconnoitre  the  country  till  he  can  see  easily 
and  plainly,  but  have  a  care  that  his  lymer  open 
not,  and  if  his  lymer  be  dislave1  (be  wild),  let  him 
investigate  it  with  his  eye.  And  if  he  seeth  that 
it  is  his  first  hart  he  should  not  follow  him,  but 
then  he  should  take  another  turn  and  umbicast. 
He  must  look  that  he  go  not  along  the  ways,  for 
it  is  the  worst  sueing  that  is  :  for  the  lymer 
commonly  overshoots.  But  he  should  go  a  little 
way  off  the  paths  on  one  side  or  the  other,  until 
he  (the  hart)  be  within  his  turn,  for  then  he  is 
most  securely  harboured  and  the  search  shall  be 
shorter.  But  if  he  see  that  it  be  too  late  to  run 
him  with  strength,  and  if  he  see  that  the  hart  goes 
but  softly  pacing  towards  his  stronghold  he  need 
not  do  all  these  things.  And  I  pray  him  where 
he  hath  met  with  the  hart,  or  harboured  him  in  his 
stronghold  or  in  coppices  or  in  other  thickets, 
that  he  take  all  his  blenches  (tricks)  and  his  ruses 

1  Shirley  MS.  Dislavee — obsolete  word  meaning  going  beyond 
bounds,  immoderate. 


i6o         THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

before  said,  to  be  more  secure,  and  to  make 
a  shorter  search,  if  he  hath  time  to  do  as  I  have 
said.  Thus  I  have  rehearsed  the  readiness  that 
belongs  to  the  harbouring  of  the  hart.  And  now 
will  I  devise  where  men  will  best  find  them  in 
bellowing  time.  It  is  known  that  they  begin  to 
bellow  fifteen  days  before  grease  time 1  ends,  especi- 
ally old  deer,  and  also  if  the  end  of  August  and 
the  beginning  of  September  be  wet  and  rainy. 

1  After  grease  time.     See  Appendix  :  Grease  Time. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

HOW    A    GOOD     HUNTER    SHALL    GO     IN    QUEST 
TO     HEAR    THE    HARTS    BELLOW 

Also  a  good  hunter  should  go  before  daybreak  to 
hear  the  harts  bellow  which  peradventure  bellow 
in  the  forest  in  divers  parts,  and  to  look  by  the 
bellowing  of  the  harts  which  seemeth  to  him  the 
greatest.  And  always  hearkening  nearer  and  nearer 
under  the  wind,  in  such  wise  that  when  he  will 
begin  to  sue,  that  he  need  nothing  but  to  bring 
the  lymer  to  the  fues.  And  anon  when  he  seeth 
that  it  is  a  hart  that  he  findeth,  uncouple  the 
finders,  but  not  too  many,  and  this,  for  fear  of 
falling  in  danger  (of  losing  the  right  deer),  should 
be  done  right  early  as  soon  as  men  can  see  day- 
light, for  in  that  time  the  harts  chase  the  hinds, 
and  go  hither  and  thither  and  abide  no  while  in  one 
place  as  they  do  in  the  right  season.  And  because 
a  man  cannot  come  nigh  him  with  a  lymer,  it  is 
good  to  uncouple  the  hounds,  for  the  hounds  will 
get  nigh  them  quicker  and  the  bolder  hounds  will 
soon  dissever  (separate)  the  harts  from  the  hinds. 
The  harts  bellow  in  divers  manners,  according  as 
they  be  old  or  young,  and  according  whether  they 

161  L 


1 62         THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

be  in  a  country  where  they  have  not  heard  the 
hounds,  or  where  they  have  heard  them.  Some 
of  them  bellow  with  a  full  open  mouth  and  often 
cast  up  their  heads.  And  these  be  those  that  have 
heard  the  hounds  only  a  little  in  the  season,  and 
that  are  well  heated  and  swelled.  And  sometimes 
about  high  noon  they  bellow  as  before  is  said. 
The  others  bellow  low  and  great  and  stooping  with 
the  head,  and  the  muzzle  towards  the  earth,  and 
that  is  a  token  of  a  great  hart,  and  an  old  and  a 
malicious,  or  that  he  hath  heard  the  hounds,  and 
therefore  dare  not  bellow  or  only  a  few  times  in 
the  day,  unless  if  it  be  in  the  dawning.  And  the 
other  belloweth  with  his  muzzle  straight  out  before 
him,  bolking  and  rattling  in  the  throat,  and  also 
that  is  a  token  of  a  great  and  old  hart  that  is  assured 
and  firm  in  his  rut.  In  short  all  the  harts  that 
bellow  greatest  and  mightiest  by  reason  should  be 
greatest  and  oldest. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII 

HOW  THE  ASSEMBLY  THAT  MEN  CALL  GATHER- 
ING SHOULD  BE  MADE  BOTH  WINTER  AND 
SUMMER  AFTER  THE  GUISE  OF  BEYOND 
THE    SEA 

The  assembly  that  men  call  gathering  should  be 

made  in  this  manner  :  the  night  before  that  the 

Lord  or  the  Master  of  the  Game  will  go  to  the 

wood,  he  must  cause  to  come  before  him  all  the 

hunters  and  the  helps,  the  grooms  and  the  pages, 

and  shall  assign  to  each  one  of  them  their  quests 

in  a  certain  place,  and  separate  the  one  from  the 

other,  and  the  one  should  not  come  into  the  quest 

of  the  other,  nor  do   him   annoyance  or   hinder 

him.     And  every  one   should  quest   in   his  best 

wise,  in  the  manner  that  I  have  said  ;  and  should 

assign  them  the  place  where  the  gathering  shall 

be   made,   at   most    ease   for    them    all,   and   the 

nearest  to  their  quests.     And  the  place  where  the 

gathering  shall  be  made  should  be  in  a  fair  mead 

well  green,  where  fair  trees  grow  all  about,  the 

one  far  from  the  other,  and  a  clear  well  or  beside 

some  running  brook.     And  it  is  called  gathering 

because  all  the  men  and  the  hounds  for  hunting 

X63  B 


1 64        THE    MASTER   OF   GAME 

gather  thither,  for  all  they  that  go  to  the  quest 
should  all  come  again  in  a  certain  place  that  I 
have  spoken  of.  And  also  they  that  come  from 
home,  and  all  the  officers  that  come  from  home 
should  bring  thither  all  that  they  need,  every  one 
in  his  office,  well  and  plenteously,  and  should  lay 
the  towels  and  board  clothes  all  about  upon  the 
green  grass,  and  set  divers  meats  upon  a  great 
platter 1  after  the  lord's  power.  And  some  should 
eat  sitting,  and  some  standing,  and  some  leaning 
upon  their  elbows,  some  should  drink,  some  laugh, 
some  jangle,  some  joke  and  some  play — in  short 
do  all  manner  of  disports  of  gladness,  and  when 
men  be  set  at  tables  ere  they  eat  then  should  come 
the  lymerers  and  their  grooms  with  their  lymers 
the  which  have  been  questing,  and  every  one  shall 
say  his  report  to  the  lord  of  what  they  have  done 
and  found  and  lay  the  fumes  before  the  lord  he 
that  hath  any  found,  and  then  the  Lord  or  the 
Master  of  the  hunting  by  the  counsel  of  them  all 
shall  choose  which  they  will  move  and  run  to  and 
which  shall  be  the  greatest  hart  and  the  highest 
deer.  And  when  they  shall  have  eaten,  the  lord 
shall  devise  where  the  relays  shall  go  and  other 
things  which  I  shall  say  more  plainly,  and  then 
shall  every  man  speed  him  to  his  place,  and  all 
haste  them  to  go  to  the  finding. 

1  G.  de  F.  (p.  151)  says  "in  great  plenty,"  not  "upon  a  great 
platter." 


CHAPTER   XXXIV 

HOW  THE  HART  SHOULD  BE  MOVED  WITH  THE 
LYMER  AND  RUN  TO  AND  SLAIN  WITH 
STRENGTH 

WHEN  the  hart  is  harboured  as  before  is  said  and 
they  before  named  come  to  the  meeting  that  some 
men  call  the  assembly,  and  also  the  scantilon,1  and 
the  fumes  well  liked  by  the  Lord  and  Master  of  the 
Game,  then  shall  the  Master  of  the  Game  choose  oj 
the  sergeants  or  of  the  yeoman  at  horse,  which  of 
them  shall  be  at  the  finding,  or  all,  or  some.  Never- 
theless, if  the  deer  be  likely  to  fall  among  danger 
it  were  good  to  assign  some  of  the  horsemen  among 
the  relays  to  help  more  readily  the  hounds,  if  they 
fall  upon  the  stint2  and  when  the  hunters  on  horse- 
back be  assigned  then  he  must  assign  which  of  the 
yeomen  berners  on  foot  shall  be  finders,  and  which 
hounds  he  shall  have  with  him  to  the  finding,  and 
the  ly merer  and  the  pages  to  go  with  him.  And 
after  that  to  assign  the  relays  by  advice  of  them 
that  know  the  country  and   the  flight  of  the  deer. 

1  Measure  of  the  deer's  footprint.     In  old  English,  a  measure 
(Stratmann). 

2  Wrong  scent,  or  check. 

65 


1 66         THE    MASTER   OF   GAME 

And  there  where  most  danger  is,  there  set  the 
readiest  hunters  and  the  best  footers  with  the 
boldest  hounds  with  them.  And  at  every  relay 
suffi ceth  two  confie  of  hounds  or  three  at  the  most. 
And  see  that  amid  the  relays,  somewhat  toward  the 
hinder-most  relay,  esfecially  if  it  be  in  danger,  that 
one  of  the  lymerer' s  fages  be  there  with  one  of  the 
lymers.  And  the  more  danger  (there  is)  the  older 
and  the  readier,  and  the  most  tender  nosed  hound. 
And  when  all  is  ordained  then  shall  the  Lord  and 
the  Master  of  the  Game,  if  he  liketh  better  to  be  at 
the  finding  than  with  a  relay,  shall  go  thither  where 
the  deer  is  harboured,  and  set  ready  waits  about  the 
quarter  of  the  wood  that  the  deer  is  in,  to  see  what 
cometh  out,  or  to  see  if  the  deer  that  is  harboured 
would  start  and  steal  away  ere  the  lymer  moved  him. 
And  this  done,  then  should  the  Lord  and  Master  of 
the  Game  bid  the  lymerer  bring  them  there  where 
he  marked  that  the  hart  went  in,  and  when  they  be 
there  the  lymerer  should  take  away  the  boughs  he 
laid  over  the  trace  at  the  harbouring,  and  set  his 
lymer  in  the  fues,  and  then  shall  the  Lord  if  he  can 
blow,  blow  three  motes,  and  after  him  the  Master  of 
the  Game,  and  after  the  hunters,  as  they  be  greatest 
in  office,  that  be  at  the  finding,  and  then  the  lymerer. 
And  after  that  if  the  lymer  sue  boldly  and  lustily 
the  lymerer  shall  say  to  him  loud  ;  "  Ho  moy,  ho 
moy,  hole  hole  hole."  And  ever  take  good  heed  to 
his  feet,  and  look  well  about  him.     And  as  oft  as  he 


HOW  HART  SHOULD  BE  MOVED     167 

findeth  the  fues,  or  if  it  be  in  thick  spires,1  boughs 
or  branches  broken,  where  the  âeer  hath  walked,  he 
should  say  aloud — "  Cy  va — cy  va — cy  va,"  and 
rally  with  his  horn,  and  always  should  the  yeoman 
berner  the  which  is  ordained  to  be  finder,  follow  the 
lymer  and  be  as  nigh  him  as  he  might  with  the 
raches  that  he  leadeth  for  the  finding,  and  if  the 
lymer  as  he  sueth,  overshoot  and  be  out  of  the  fues, 
the  lymerer  should  always,  till  his  hounds  be  fallen 
in  again,  speak  to  him,  calling  his  name,  be  it 
Loyer,  or  Beaumont,  or  Latimer  or  Bemond  ac- 
cording to  what  the  hound  is  named,  and  anon  as 
he  falls  in  again  and  finds  the  fues  or  branches  as 
before  is  said  he  shall  say  loud,  "  Cy  va  "  as  before 
and  rally  and  so  forth  at  every  time  that  he  findeth 
thereof,  until  that  the  lymer  move  him.  Never- 
theless I  have  seen  when  a  lymer  sueth  long  and 
could  not  so  soon  move  him  as  men  would,  that  they 
have  taken  up  the  lymer  and  uncoupled  one  or  two 
hounds,  to  have  him  sooner  found,  but  this  truly  no 
skilful  hunter  ought  to  do,  unless  the  lymer  cannot 
put  it  forth,  nor  bring  it  any  further,  or  that  the 
deer  be  stirring  in  the  quarter,  and  hath  not  waited 
for  the  moving  of  the  lymer.  Or  else  that  it  be  so 
far  advanced  in  the  day,  that  the  sun  hath  dried  up 
the  fues,  and  that  they  have  little  day  enough  to  run 
him  and  hunt  him  with  strength.  But  now  to  come 
again  to  the  lymer,  it  is  to  wit  that  when  the  lymer 

1  Shoots,  fresh-growing  young  wood. 


1 68         THE   MASTER    OF   GAME 

hath  moved  him,  if  the  lymerer  can  see  him  he  shall 
blow  a  mote,1  and  rechace  (recheat),2  and  if  the  deer 
he  soule  (alone)  the  Berners  shall  uncouple  all  the 
finders,  and  if  he  he  not  alone  two  hounds  suffi ceth 
till  he  be  separated,  and  if  the  lymerer  saw  him 
(not)  at  the  moving  he  should  go  to  his  lair  and  look 
thereby  whether  it  be  a  hart  or  not,  and  if  he  see  by 
the  lair  or  by  the  fues  that  it  is  the  same  deer,  that 
he  hath  sued  (hunted)  and  alone  he  should  rechase 
without  a  long  mote,  for  the  mote  should  never  be 
blown  before  the  rechasing?  unless  a  man  seeth  that 
which  he  hunteth  for.  And  then  the  Berner  should 
do  as  I  have  said  before,  and  if  he  be  not  alone  the 
Berner  should  do  as  above  is  said,  for  it  is  to  wit  that 
the  mote  before  re  chasing  (recheating)  shall  never 
be  blown  but  when  a  man  seeth  what  he  hunteth  for, 
as  I  have  said.  Now  furthermore,  when  the  hart 
is  moved  and  the  finders  cast  off,  then  should  the 
lymerer  take  up  his  hounds  and  follow  after,  and 
foot  it  in  the  best  wise  that  he  can.  And  the 
Berner  also  and  every  horseman  go  that  can  go,  so 
that  they  come  not  into  the  fues  (across  the  line)  nor 
in  front  of  the  hounds,  and  shape  (their  course)  as 
often  as  they  can  to  meet  him.  And  as  often  as 
any  man  see  him  or  meet  him,  he  should  go  to  the 
fues  and  blow  a  mote  and  rechace  and  then  holloa 


1  A  long  note. 

2  Recheat,  a  hunting  signal  on  the  horn. 

3  Recheating.     See  Appendix  :  Hunting-Music. 


HOW  HART  SHOULD  BE  MOVED     169 

to  the  hounds  to  come  forth  with  all,  and  this  done, 
speed  him  fast  in  the  manner  that  I  have  said  to 
meet  with  him  again.  And  the  relay  that  he  (the 
hart)  cometh  to  first  should  take  good  heed  that  he 
vauntlay  1  not,  if  other  relays  be  behind  for  dread 
of  bending  out  from  the  relay.  But  he  should  let  the 
deer  fas  s  and  go  to  the  fues,  and  there  blow  a  mote, 
and  rechace  and  rally  upon  the  fues.  And  the 
hunter  ought  to  be  advised  that  his  hounds  catch  it 
(the  scent)  well  in  couple,  ere  he  relay,  that  they 
run  not  counter?  For  that  might  make  the  hounds 
that  come  therewith  and  the  hunters  to  be  on  a  stynt 
(at  fault),  and  per  adventure  not  recover  it  all  the 
day  after.  And  if  it  so  be  that  the  hunter  that  hath 
relayed,  see  that  the  deer  be  likely  to  fall  into 
danger,  that  is  to  say  among  other  deer,  and  else  it 
îieedeth  not,  he  should  when  he  hath  relayed  stand 
still  in  the  fues,  and  holloa  the  hounds  that  come 
forth  therewith  and  take  up  the  hindermost,  and  if 
it  be  in  a  park  go  stand  again  with  them  at  his 
place,  and  if  it  be  out  of  park  in  a  forest  or  other 
wood  follow  after  as  well  as  he  is  able.  And  in 
this  wise  ought  every  relay  to  do  till  he  come  among 
the  back  relays.  For  if  they  at  the  back  see  by  the 
spreading  of  the  dees  (claws)  by  setting  fast  and 
deep  his  ergots  (dew  claws)   in   the  earth,  and  if 


1  Vauntlay,  to  cast  off  the  relay  before  the  hounds  already 
hunting  have  passed.     See  Appendix  :  Relays. 

2  Do  not  hunt  heel  :  contre,  counter. 


170        THE    MASTER    OF  GAME 

they  see  him  also  cast  his  chaule,1  then  they  ought  to 
vauntlay  for  advantage  of  the  hounds,  for  so  shall 
they  sooner  have  him  at  hay,  and  from  then  he  is 
hut  dead  if  the  hunters  serve  aright  the  hounds. 
Nevertheless  men  have  seen  at  the  first  finding  or 
soon  after,  deer  turn  the  head  (to  bay),  and  oftenest 
in  rutting  time,  hut  I  mean  not  of  deer  that  turneth 
so  to  hay,  hut  I  mean  of  hunted  deer  when  men  have 
seen  of  them  the  tokens  said  before  that  he  stand  at 
hay.     And  if  it  he  so  that  the  hounds  have  envoised  2 
or  have  overshot,  or  that  they  he  on  a  stynt  by  any 
other  ways,  those  hunters  on  horseback  or  on  foot  to 
whom  belongs  the  right,  first  should  blow  the  stynt 
as  I  shall  devise  in  a  chapter  that  shall  be  of  all 
blowing.3     And  after  that  he  should  fall  before  the 
hounds  as  soon  as  he  can  and  take  them  up,  and  if 
so  be  that  they  have  envoy sed  two  deer  of  antler 4 
they  should  not  be  rated  badly,  but  get    in  front 
of7  them  and  take  them  off  in  the  fairest  way  that 
men  can.     And  if  they  run  ought  else  they  should 
be  got  in  front  of  and  rated  and  well  lashed.     And 
what  hounds  they  may  get  up,  bring  them  to  the 
next  rights  (right  line)  if  they  know  where,  or  else 
there  where  he  (the  hart)  was  last  seen.     And  if 
it  be  great  danger  they  ought  to  blow  a  mote  for 
the  lymer  and  let  him  sue  till  he  hath  retrieved  him 

1  Drop  his  jaw.     (?)  2  Gone  off  the  right  line. 

3  This  chapter  does  not  exist. 

*  If  the  hounds  have  gone  away  after  two  stags. 


HOW  HART  SHOULD  BE  MOVED     171 

or  else  till  he  hath  brought  him  out  of  danger.  And 
as  oft  as  he  findeth  or  seeth  that  he  is  in  the  rights 
the  ly merer  should  say  loud,  "  Cy  va"  twice  or 
thrice — and  recheat,  and  so  should  the  hunters  as 
oft  as  they  lust  to  blow.  A?id  if  the  lymer  over- 
shoot or  cannot  fut  it  forth,  every  hunter  that  is 
there  ought  to  go  some  deal  abroad  for  to  see  if  he 
may  find  the  rights  by  vesteying  (searching)  thereof. 
And  whoso  may  find  it  before  the  lymer  be  fallen  in 
again,  he  should  re  cheat  in  the  rights,  and  blow 
after  that  a  mote  for  the  lymer  and  sue  forth  as  is 
said  before.  And  if  the  lymer  gave  it  up,  and 
cannot  and  will  not  do  his  devoir e  (duty),  then 
should  they  blow  two  motes  for  the  r aches  and  cast 
them  off  there  where  they  were  last  in  the  rights. 
And  if  the  hunters  hear  that  the  hounds  run  well 
and  fut  it  lustily  forth  they  should  rout  and  jofey  1 
to  them  lustily  and  often  and  re  cheat  also.  And 
if  there  be  but  one  hound  that  undertaketh  it  lustily 
they  shall  hue  and  jofey  to  him,  and  also  re  cheat. 
As  oft  as  they  be  on  a  stynt  they  should  blow  the 
stynt  and  do  as  before  is  said.  And  if  any  of  the 
aforesaid  hounds  retrieve  him  so  that  men  may 
know  and  hear  it  by  the  doubling  of  their  menée,2 
but  if  they  hear  any  hunter  above  them  that  hath 
met  (the  deer)  that  bloweth  the  rights  and  holloaeth 

1  Call  to  the  hounds  encouragingly. 

2  Shirley  MS.:  "doubling  of  their  mouths,"  from  the  Fr. 
menée.     See  Appendix  :  Menée. 


i72         THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

else  (where)  they  should  haste  them  thither  where 
they  thought  the  hounds  retrieved  it  ;  or  else  to 
meet  with  the  hounds  for  to  see  the  fues  whether  it 
he  the  hunted  deer  or  not.  And  if  it  is  not  he,  they 
should  do  as  above  is  said  when  they  he  on  a  stynt, 
and  if  it  be  he  every  man  shall  speed  him  that 
speed  may,  and  every  relay  do  as  before  is  said. 
And  if  any  of  the  hunters  happen  while  they  be  on 
a  stynt  to  see  a  hart  that  he  thinketh  to  be  the 
hunted  deer  he  ought  to  blow  a  mote  and  recheat 
and  after  that  blow  two  motes  for  the  hounds  and 
stand  still  before  the  fues  till  the  Berner  with  the 
hounds  do  come.  And  if  they  suppose  that  they 
may  not  hear  him  he  should  draw  to  them  till  they 
have  heard  him.  And  when  any  of  the  Berner  s  or 
the  lymerer  hear  a  man  blow  for  them,  they  should 
answer  blowing  in  this  wise  in  their  horn  :  "  trut  trut 
trut,"  but  he  should  know  readily  by  the  fues  after 
the  tokens  that  have  been  said  before,  whether  it  be 
the  hunted  deer  or  not.  And  in  the  same  wise  shall 
a  hunter  do  that  findeth  an  hart  quat  (couched), 
and  he  thinketh  it  to  be  the  hunted  deer,  and  he  sees 
that  his  fellows  and  the  hounds  be  on  a  stynt,  he 
should  well  beware  that  he  blow  not  too  nigh  him, 
lest  he  start,  and  go  away,  before  the  hounds  come. 
Nevertheless  for  to  wit  whether  it  be  the  hunted  deer 
or  no,  the  tokens  have  been  rehearsed  before — and 
when  he  hath  been  so  well  run  to  and  enchased  and 
retrieved,  and  so  oft  relayed  and  vauntelayed  to,  and 


HOW  HART  SHOULD  BE  MOVED     173 

that  he  seeth  that  (neither)  by  heating  up  the  rivers 
nor  brooks  nor  foiling  him  down,  nor  going  to  soil, 
nor  rusing  to  ana  fro  upon  himself  which  is  to  say  in 
his  own  fues,  can  help  him,  then  turns  he  his  head 
and  standeth  at  bay.  And  then  as  far  as  it  may 
be  heard  every  man  draweth  thither,  and  the  know- 
ing thereof  is  that  the  hunter  that  cometh  first,  and 
the  hunters  (one)  after  the  other  they  holloa  all 
together,  and  blow  a  mote  and  rechace  all  at  once. 
And  that  they  never  do  but  when  he  is  at  bay  or 
when  bay  is  made  for  the  hounds,  after  he  is  dead, 
when  they  should  be  rewarded  or  enquerreyde} 
And  when  the  hunters  that  held  the  relays  be  there, 
or  that  they  be  nigh  the  bay,  they  should  pull  off 
the  couples  from  the  hounds'  necks  and  let  them  draw 
thither.  And  the  hunters  should  break  the  bay  as 
often  as  they  can  for  two  causes  ;  the  one  lest  he 
(the  stag)  hurt  the  hounds,  if  he  stand  and  rest  long 
in  one  place  ;  another  is  that  the  relays  that  stand 
far  can  come  up  with  their  hounds  the  while  he  is 
alive,  and  be  at  the  death.  And  it  is  to  be  known 
that  if  any  of  the  hunters  have  been  at  any  time 
while  the  deer  hath  been  run  to  out  of  hearing  of 
hound  and  horn,  he  should  have  blown  the  forloyne? 
unless  he  were  in  a  park,  for  there  it  should  never 
be    blown.     And   whoso  first    heard    him    so    blow 

1  See  Appendix  :  Curée. 

2  A  horn  signal  denoting  that  the  chase  is  being  followed  at 
a  distance  by  those  who  blow.  From  the  Yx.fortloin,  written 
forlonge.     See  Appendix  :  Forlonge. 


174        THE    MASTER   OF   GAME 

should  blow  again  to  him  the  "  'perfect"  1  if  it  so 
be  that  he  were  in  his  rights,  and  else  not.  For  by 
that  shall  he  be  brought  to  readiness  and  comfort 
who  before  did  not  know  where  the  game  or  any  of 
his  fellows  were.  And  when  it  so  is,  that  they  have 
thought  that  the  bay  has  lasted  long  enough,  then 
should  he  whoso  be  the  most  master  bid  some  of  the 
hunters  go  spay  2  him  behind  the  shoulder  forward 
to  the  heart.  But  the  ly merer  should  let  slip  the 
rope  while  he  (the  deer)  stood  on  his  feet,  and  let 
the  lymer  go  to  (him),  for  by  right  the  lymer 
should  never  (go)  out  of  the  rope,  though  he  (be  let) 
slip  from  ever  so  far.  And  when  the  deer  is  dead, 
and  lieth  on  one  side  then  first  it  is  time  to  blow  the 
death,  for  it  should  never  be  blown  at  hart  hunting 
till  the  deer  be  on  its  side.  And  then  should  the 
hounds  be  coupled  Up  and  as  fast  as  a  man  can. 
One  of  the  Berners  should  encorne  him,  that  is  to 
say  turn  his  horns  earthwards  and  the  throat  up- 
wards, and  slit  the  skin  of  the  throat  all  along  the 
neck,  and  cut  labelles  (small  flaps)  on  either  side  of 
the  skin,  the  which  shall  hang  still  upon  the  he  ad,  for 
this  belongeth  to  an  hart  slain  with  strength,  and 
else  not.  And  then  should  the  hunter  flay  down  the 
skin  as  far  as  he  can,  and  then  with  a  sharp  trencher 
cut  as  thick  as  he  can  the  flesh  down  to  the  neck 
bone,  and  this  done  every  man  stand  abroad  and 

1  A  note  sounded  only  by  those  who  are  on  the  right  line. 

2  To  kill  with  a  sword  or  hunting  knife.    See  Appendix  :  Spay. 


HOW  HART  SHOULD  BE  MOVED     175 

blow  the  death,  and  make  short  hay  for  to  reward  the 
hounds.  And  every  man  (shall)  have  a  small  rod 
in  his  hand  to  hold  the  hounds  that  they  should  the 
better  bay  and  every  man  blow  the  death  that  can 
blow.  And  as  oft  as  any  hunter  beginneth  to  blow 
every  man  shall  blow  for  the  death  to  make  the 
better  noise,  and  make  the  hounds  better  know  the 
horns  and  the  bay,  and  when  they  have  bayed  a 
while  let  the  hounds  come  to  eat  the  flesh,  to  the 
hard  bone  from  in  front  of  the  shoulders  right  to 
the  head,  for  that  is  their  reward  of  right.  And 
then  take  them  off  fair  and  couple  them  up  again. 
And  then  bring  to  the  lymers  and  serve  each  by 
himself,  and  then  should  the  Lord  if  he  list  or  else 
the  Master  of  the  Game,  or  if  he  be  absent  whoso  is 
greatest  of  the  hunters,  blow  the  prise  at  coupling 
up,  and  that  should  be  blown  only  of  the  aforesaid, 
and  by  no  others.  Nevertheless  it  is  to  wit  that  if 
the  Lord  be  not  come  soon  enough  to  the  bay,  while 
the  deer  is  alive  they  ought  to  hold  the  bay  as  long 
as  they  can,  without  rebuking  the  hounds,  to  await 
the  Lord,  and  if  the  Lord  remains  away  too  long, 
when  the  deer  is  spayed  and  laid  on  one  side,  before 
they  do  ought  else,  the  Master  of  the  Game,  or 
which  of  the  horsemen  that  be  there  at  the  death, 
should  mount  their  horses  and  every  man  draw  his 
way  blowing  the  death  till  one  of  them  hath  met 
with  him,  or  heard  of  him,  and  brought  him  thither. 
And  if  they  cannot  meet  with  him,  and  that  they 


176         THE    MASTER   OF    GAME 

have  word  that  he  is  gone  home,  they  ought  to  come 
again,  and  do,  whoso  is  greatest  master,  as  the  Lord 
should  do,  if  he  were  there,  and  right  so  should  they 
do  to  the  Master  of  the  Game  in  the  Lord'' s  absence. 
Also  if  the  Lord  be  there  all  things  should  be  done 
of  the  bay  and  rewarding  as  before  is  said,  and 
then  he  should  charge  whom  he  list  to  undo  the  deer, 
if  the  hounds  shall  not  be  enquyrid  thereon,  for 
if  they  should,  there  needeth  no  more  but  to  caboche  l 
his  head,  all  the  upper  jaw  still  thereon,  and  the 
labelles  aforesaid  ;  and  then  hold  him  and  lay  the 
skin  open,  and  lay  the  head  at  the  skirfs  end  right 
in  front  of  the  shoulders.  And  when  the  hounds  are 
thus  inquirreide  the  lymers  should  have  both  the 
shoulders  for  their  rights,  and  else  they  should  not 
have  but  the  ears  and  the  brain  whereof  they  should 
be  served,  the  hart" s  head  lying  under  their  feet. 
But  on  the  other  hand  if  the  lord  will  have  the  deer 
undone,  he  that  he  biddeth  as  before  is  said,  should 
undo  him  most  woodmanly  and  cleanly  that  he  can 
and  wonder  ye  not  that  I  say  woodmanly,  for  it  is  a 
point  that  belongeth  to  woodmans craft,  though  it  be 
well  suiting  to  an  hunter  to  be  able  to  do  it.  Never- 
theless it  belongeth  more  to  woodmanscraft  than  to 
hunters,  and  therefore  as  of  the  manner  he  should  be 
undone  I  pass  over  lightly,  for  there  is  no  woodman 
nor  good  hunter  in  England  that  cannot  do  it  well 

1  Cut  off  the  head  close  behind  the  antlers.     Shirley  MS.  : 
"  Cabache." 


HOW  HART  SHOULD  BE  MOVED     177 

enough,  and  well  better  than  I  can  tell  them.  Never- 
theless when  so  is  that  the  paunch  is  taken  out  clean 
and  whole  and  the  small  guts,  one  of  the  groom 
chacechiens  should  take  the  paunch  and  go  to  the 
next  water  withal,  and  slit  it,  and  cast  out  the 
filth  and  wash  it  clean,  that  no  filth  abide  therein. 
And  then  bring  it  again  and  cut  it  in  small  gobetts 
in  the  blood  that  should  be  kept  in  the  skin  and  the 
lungs  withal,  if  they  be  hot  and  else  not,  and  all  the 
small  guts  withal,  and  bread  broken  therein  accord- 
ing whether  the  hounds  be  few  or  many,  and  all  this 
turned  and  meddled  together  among  the  blood  till  it 
be  well  brewed  in  the  blood,  and  then  look  for  a 
small  green,  and  thither  bear  all  this  upon  the  skin 
with  as  much  blood  as  can  be  saved,  and  there  lay 
it,  and  spread  the  skin  thereupon,  the  hair  side 
upward,  and  lay  the  head,  the  visage,  forward  at 
the  neck  end  of  the  skin.  And  then  the  lord  shall 
go  take  a  fair  small  rod  in  his  hand,  the  which  one  of 
the  yeomen  or  of  the  grooms  should  cut  for  him,  and 
the  Master  of  the  Game  and  other,  and  the  sergeants, 
and  each  of  the  yeomen  on  horse,  and  others,  and 
then  the  Lord  should  take  up  the  harfs  head  by 
the  right  side  between  the  surroyal  and  the  fork 
or  troche  whichever  it  be  that  he  bear,  and  the 
Master  of  the  Game,  the  left  side  in  the  same  wise, 
and  hold  the  head  upright  that  the  nose  touch  the 
earth.  And  then  every  man  that  is  there,  save  the 
berner  s  on  foot  and  the  chacechiens  and  the  lymerers 

M 


178         THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

which  should  he  with  their  hounds  and  wait  upon 
them  in  a  fair  green  where  there  is  a  cool  shadow, 
should  stand  in  front  on  either  side  of  the  head, 
with  rods,  that  no  hound  come  about,  nor  on  the 
sides,  hut  that  all  stand  in  front.  And  when  it  is 
ready  the  Master  of  the  Game  or  the  sergeant 
should  hid  the  herners  bring  forth  their  hounds  and 
stand  still  in  front  of  them  a  small  quoit's  cast 
from  thence,  as  the  hay  is  ordained.  And  when 
they  he  there  the  Master  of  the  Game  or  sergeant 
should  cry  skilfully  loud  :  "  Devour  "  and  then 
holloa  every  wight,  and  every  hunter  blow  the 
death.  And  when  the  hounds  he  come  and  hay  the 
head,  the  Berner  s  should  full  off  the  couples  as  fast 
as  they  can.  And  when  the  Lord  thinketh  the 
bay  hath  lasted  long  enough,  the  Master  of  the 
Game  should  pull  away  the  head  and  anon  others 
should  be  ready  to  pull  away  the  skin  and  let  the 
hounds  come  to  the  reward,  and  then  should  the 
Lord  and  Master  of  the  Game,  and  all  the  hunters 
stand  around  all  about  the  reward,  and  blow  the 
death.  As  oft  as  any  of  them  begin  every  man 
bear  him  fellowship  till  the  hounds  be  well  re- 
warded, and  that  they  have  nought  left.  And  right 
thus  should  be  done  when  the  hounds  should  be 
enquyrreied  of  the  whole  deer.  And  when  there  is 
nought  left  then  should  the  Lord,  if  he  wishes,  or  else 
the  Master  of  the  Game  or  in  his  absence  whoso  is 
greatest  next  him,  stroke  (blow)  in  this  wise,  that  is 


HOW  HART  SHOULD  BE  MOVED     179 

to  say  blow  four  motes  and  stynt  (stop)  not  (for  the 
time  of)  half  an  Ave  Maria  and  then  blow  other 
four  motes  a  little  longer  than  the  first  four  motes. 
And  thus  should  no  wight  stroke,  but  when  the  hart  is 
slain  with  strength,  and  when  one  of  the  aforesaid 
hath  thus  blown  then  should  the  grooms  confie  up  the 
hounds  and  draw  homewards  fair  and  soft.  And  all 
the  rest  of  the  hunters  should  stroke  in  this  wise  : 
"  Trut,  trut,  tro-ro-row,  tro-ro-row,"  and  four  motes 
all  of  one  length  not  too  long  and  not  too  short.  And 
otherwise  should  no  hart  hunter  stroke  from  thence- 
forth till  they  go  to  bed.  And  thus  should  the 
Berner  s  on  foot  and  the  grooms  lead  home  the  hounds 
and  send  in  front  that  the  kennel  be  clean  and  the 
trough  filled  with  clean  water,  and  their  couch  re- 
newed with  fresh  straw.  And  the  Master  of  the 
Game  and  the  sergeant  and  the  yeoman  at  horse 
should  come  home  and  blow  the  menée  at  the  hall  door 
or  at  the  cellar  door  as  I  shall  devise.  First  the 
master,  or  whoso  is  greatest  next  him,  shall  begin  and 
blow  three  motes  1  alone,  and  at  the  first  mote  2  the 
remnant  of  the  aforesaid  should  blow  with  him,  and 
beware  that  none  blow  longer  than  another,  and  after 
the  three  motes  even  forthwith  they  should  blow  the 
recoupling  as  thus  :  "  Trut,  trut,  trororo  rout,"  and 
that  they  be  advised  that  from  the  time  they  fall  in 
to  blow  together,  that  none  of  them  begin  before  (the) 

1  Shirley  MS.  says' four  notes. 

2  Should  read  :  "at  the  last  moot." 


i8o        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

other  nor  end  after  (the)  other.  And  if  it  he  the 
first  hart  slain  with  strength  in  the  season,  or  the 
last,  the  sergeant  and  the  yeoman  shall  go  on  their 
officers  behalf  and  ask  their  fees  of  the  which  I  report 
me  to  the  old  statutes  and  customs  of  the  Kings  house. 
And  this  done  the  Master  of  the  Game  ought  to  speak 
to  the  officers  that  all  the  hunters*  suppers  he  well 
ordained,  and  that  they  drink  not  ale,  and  nothing 
hut  wine  that  night  for  the  good  and  great  labour 
they  have  had  for  the  Lord's  game  and  disport,  and 
for  the  exploit  and  making  of  the  hounds.  And  also 
that  they  may  the  more  merrily  and  gladly  tell  what 
each  of  them  hath  done  all  the  day  and  which  hounds 
have  best  run  and  boldest. 


CHAPTER   XXXV 

HOW  AN  HUNTER  SHOULD  SEEK  AND  FIND 
THE  HARE  WITH  RUNNING  HOUNDS  AND 
SLAY     HER    WITH     STRENGTH 

Ere  I  speak  how  the  hare  should  be  hunted,  it  is 
to  be  known  that  the  hare  is  king  of  all  venery,  for 
all  blowing  and  the  fair  terms  of  hunting  cometh  of 
the  seeking  and  the  finding  of  the  hare.     For  certain 
it   is  the  most  marvellous  beast  that  is,  for  ever 
she  fumeth   or   croteth   and  roungeth   and   beareth 
tallow  and  grease.     And  though  men  say  that  she 
fumeth   inasmuch   as  she  beareth   tallow,   yet   that 
which  cometh  from  her  is  not  called  fumes  but  croteys. 
And  she  hath  teeth  above  in  the  same  wise  as  be- 
neath.    It  is  also  to  be  known  that  the  hare  is  at 
one  time  male  and  another  time  female.     When  she  is 
female  sometimes  she  kindles  in  three  degrees,  two 
rough,   two  smooth  and  two  knots  that  afterwards 
should  be  kindles,  but  this  happeneth  but  seldom. 
Now  for  to  speak  of  the  hare  how  he  shall  be  sought 
and  found  and  chased  with   hounds.     It  is  to  be 
known  what  the  first  word  (should  be)  that  the  hunter 
should  speak  to  his  hounds  when  he  lets  them  out  of 
the  kennel.     When  the  door  is  opened  he  shall  say 

i8i 


1 82        THE   MASTER    OF    GAME 

loud  :  "  Ho  ho  arere,"  1  because  that  his  hounds 
will  come  out  too  hastily.  And  when  he  uncoupleth 
his  hounds,  he  shall  say  to  them  when  he  comes  into 
the  field  :  "  Sto  mon  amy  sto  atrete"  hut  when  he 
is  come  forth  into  the  field  he  shall  blow  three  motes 
and  uncouple  the  hounds,  then  he  shall  speak  twice 
to  his  hounds  in  this  wise,  "  Hors  de  couple,  avaunt 
cy  avaunt  "  2  and  then  he  shall  say  thrice  "  So  how  " 
and  no  more  ;  afterward  he  shall  say  loud  "  Sa  say 
cy  avaunt  "  and  then  "  Sa  cy  avaunt,  sa  cy  avaunt 
so  how,"  and  if  he  see  the  hounds  draw  fast  from 
him  and  would  fain  run,  he  shall  say  thus  to  them 
here  :  "  How  amy — how  amy,"  and  then  shall  he 
say  "  Swe  mon  famy  swef"  3  for  to  make  them  go 
softly,  and  between  always  blow  three  motes.  And 
if  any  of  his  hounds  find  and  own  to  the  hare  where 
he  hath  been,  he  shall  say  to  them  in  this  wise  : 
"  Oyez  a  Beaumont  le  vaillant,"  or  what  the  hound 
is  called.  And  if  he  seeth  that  the  hare  hath  been 
at  pasture  in  green  corn  or  in  any  other  place  and 
his  hounds  find  of  her  and  that  they  fall  well  in 
enquest 4  (hunt)  and  chase  it  well,  then  he  shall  say 
"  La  Douce,  la  il  a  este  "  5  and  therewith  "So 
howe  "  with  a  high  voice,  and  if  his  hounds  chase 

1  "  Back  there  !  "  from  the  Fr.  arrz'eYe. 

2  "  Out  of  couples,  forward  there,  forward  !  "     (Precisely  the 
same  instructions  are  given  by  the  later  Twety  and  Gyfford.) 

3  "  Gently,  my  friend,  gently  !  " 

4  Quest,  hunt,  seek,  also  challenge. 
6  "  Softly,  there  he  has  been  !  " 


HOW   TO   FIND   THE    HARE      183 

not  well  at  his  -pleasure  and  they  grede  (hunt)  there 
where  he  has  not  pastured,  then  shall  he  say  "  Illeoqs 
illeoqs  "  1  in  the  same  place  while  they  seek  her. 
And  then  he  should  cast  and  look  about  the  field,  to 
see  where  she  hath  been  and  whether  she  hath  pas- 
tured or  not,  or  whether  she  he  in  her  form,  for  she 
does  not  like  to  remain  where  she  hath  pastured 
except  in  time  of  relief  If  any  hounds  scent  her, 
and  she  hath  gone  from  thence  to  another  place,  he 
shall  say  thus  to  his  hounds  as  loud  as  he  can  :  "  Ha 
cy  douce  cy  et  venuz  arere,  so  howeP  2  And  if  he 
see  that  she  be  gone  to  the  plain  or  the  field  or  to 
arable  land  or  into  the  wood,  if  his  hounds  get  well 
on  her  scent,  then  he  shall  say  :  "  La  douce  amy,  il 
ad  est  illeoqs  "  3  and  therewith  he  shall  say  :  "  so- 
how  illeoqs,  sy  douce  cy  v ay liant  "  4  and  twice 
"  so-howe,"  and  when  he  is  come  there  where  he 
supposeth    the  hare  dwells  then  shall  he  say  thus  : 

1  "  In  this  place,"  or  "  here,  here."  This  passage,  which 
reads  somewhat  confusedly  in  our  MS.,  is  clearer  in  Twety  and 
Gyfford  {Reliquiœ  Antiquœ,  vol.  i.  p.  149).  It  reads  as  follows  : 
"And  then  ye  shall  blowe  iij  notes,  yf  yowr  hund  ne  chace  not 
well  hym,  there  one  ther  another,  as  he  hath  pasturyd  hym,  ye 
shall  say  '  Illeosque,  illeosque,  illcosque]  "  meaning  that  3  motes 
should  be  blown  where  the  hare  has  pastured  to  bring  your 
hounds  to  the  place,  illeosque  meaning  here,  in  this  place. 

2  "  Softly  there,  here  she  has  been,  back  there."  Following 
this  the  Shirley  MS.  and  Twety  and  Gyfford  contain  a  passage 
which  our  MS.  has  not  got  :  "And  thenne  sa  cy,  a  este  sohoiu, 
and  afterwards  sa  cy  avaimt" 

3  "  Softly,  my  friend,  she  has  been  here." 

4  "  Here  gently,  here  valiantly." 


i84        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

"  La  douce  la  est  il  venuz  "  and  therewith  thrice 
"  so-howe  "  and  no  more.  And  if  he  thinks  he  is 
sure  to  find  her  in  any  place  then  he  shall  say  : 
"  La  douce  how-here,  how-here,  how-here,  how-here, 
douce  how-here  hozv-here"  and  when  she  is  found 
and  started  he  shall  blow  a  mote  and  rechase l  and 
holloa  as  often  as  he  wishes  and  then  say  loud: 
"  Oyez,  !  a  Beaumond  "  or  what  the  hound  is 
named,  "  le  vailaunt  oyez,  oyez,  oyez,  who-bo- 
lowe,"  and  then  "  Avaunte  assemble,  avaunte." 
And  then  should  the  horsemen  keep  well  to  one 
side  and  some  way  to  the  front  with  long  rods  in 
their  hands  to  meet  with  her,  and  so  blowe  a  mote 
and  rechace  and  holloa  and  set  the  hounds  in  the 
rights  if  they  see  her,  and  also  for  to  prevent  any 
hound  following  sheep,  or  other  beasts,  and  if  they 
do  to  ascrie  (rate)  them  sorely  and  dismount  and 
take  them  up  and  lash  them  well,  saying  loud  "  Ware 
ware  ha  ha  ware  "  and  lash  them  back  to  their 
fellows,  and  if  it  happens  that  the  hare  be  seated  in 
her  form  in  front  of  the  hounds,  and  that  they 
cannot  find  her  as  soon  as  they  would,  then  shall  he 
say  :  "  How- s  a  amy  sa  sa  acouplere,  sa  arere,  so- 
how,"  but  not  (blow)  the  stynt  too  soon.  And  if 
he  seeth  that  his  hounds  cannot  put  her  up  as  soon  as 
he  would,  then  shall  he  blow  the  stynt,  and  say  loud  : 
"  ho   ho  ore  swef  a  la  douce,  a  lui,  a  lui,  so   how 

1  To  call  back  the  hounds  from  a  wrong  scent,  the  same  as 
"  recheat." 


H       =a 


HOW   TO   FIND   THE   HARE      185 

assamy,  ass  amy,  la  arere  so-howe,  venez  acouplere," 

and  thus  as  oft  as  the  aforesaid  case  happeneth. 

And  as  oft  as  any  hound  catcheth  it  (the  scent)  he 

should  hue  to  him  by  his  name,  and  rout  him  to  his 

fellows  as  before  is  said,  but  not  rechace  till  the 

hare  be  found,  or  that  some  man  meet  it  and  blow 

the  rights  and  holloa,  or  else   that  he  findeth  her 

pointing    or    pricking    whichever   it   be,  for    both 

mean  the  same,  but  some  call  it  the  one  and  some 

the  other.       And  if  he  find  that  he  can  well  blow 

the  rights  and  holloa  and  jopey  three  or  four  times 

and   cry  loud  "  le    voy,  le  voy,"    till    the  hounds 

come  thither  and  have  well  caught  it.     And  (when) 

she  is  retrieved  blow  and  holloa  and  rout  to   the 

hounds  as  it  is  said  you  should  do  at  the  finding,  and 

follow  after  and  foot  it  who  can  foot  it.     And  if  it 

happen  when  men  hunt  her  and  hounds  chase  her 

that  she  squat  anywhere  before  the  hounds,  and  that 

any  hunter  find  her  squatting,  if  the  hounds  be  nigh 

about,  he  should  blow  a  mote  and  rechace  and  start 

her,  and  then  halloa  and  rout  to  them  as  above  is 

said.     And  if  he  find  her  squat,  and  the  hounds  be 

far  from  him,  then  should  he  blow  as  I  last  said 

before,  and  after  two  motes  for  the  hounds,  and  the 

berners    that    hear    him    should   answer    him    thus 

"  trut,  trut,  trut,"  and  draw  all  towards  him  with 

the  hounds  as  fast  as   they   can,   saying   to   their 

hounds  :    "  so-how,  mon  amy,  so-howe."     And  when 

they  be  there  and  the  hounds  have  all  come  up,  they 


1 86        THE   MASTER    OF   GAME 

should  check  them  with  one  of  their  rods,  and  when 
she  is  started,  blow,  holloa  and  rout  as  before  is  said, 
and  according  to  what  the  case  requireth,  do  as 
before  is  said  and  devised.  And  when  she  hath 
been  well  chased  and  well  retrieved,  notwithstanding 
her  rusing  and  squatting  and  reseating,  so  that  by 
strength  at  last  she  is  bitten  by  the  hounds,  whoso  is 
nearest  should  start  to  take  her  whole  from  them,  and 
hold  her  in  his  one  hand  over  his  head  high,  and 
blow  the  death  that  men  may  gather  thither,  and 
when  they  be  come,  then  should  she  be  striked,  all 
save  the  head,  and  the  gall  and  the  paunch  cast 
away,  and  the  remnant  should  be  laid  on  a  great 
staff  or  on  a  board,  whoso  hath  it,  or  on  the  earth, 
and  then  it  should  be  choked  as  small  as  it  can  be, 
so  that  it  hang  together  ;  and  when  it  is  so  done 
then  should  one  of  the  berners  take  it  up  with  the 
head  and  hold  it  as  high  as  he  is  able  in  his  hands, 
and  then  whoso  is  most  master,  blow  the  death,  and 
anon  as  he  beginneth  every  man  help  and  holloa. 
And  when  the  hounds  have  bayed,  as  long  as  is 
wished  by  the  aforesaid  most  master,  then  should 
the  berner  pull  as  high  as  he  can  every  piece  from 
the  other  and  cast  to  every  hound  his  reward.  And 
then  should  the  most  master  blow  a  mote  and  stroke, 
if  so  be  that  he  thinks  that  the  hounds  have  done 
enough,  and  else  he  should  rest  awhile,  if  the  hounds 
be  hot,  till  they  be  cooled,  and  then  led  to  the  water 
to  lap.     And  then  if  he  wish  blow  three  motes  and 


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HOW    TO    FIND   THE   HARE      187 

uncouple  and  speak  and  so  do  as  before  is  said. 
And  if  they  will  seek  a  covert  for  the  hare  and  set 
greyhounds  without,  they  should  blow  and  seek  and 
speak  in  the  manner  as  before  is  said,  save  that 
if  the  hounds  find  anything  what  so  ever  it  be,  he 
shall  rally  and  jopey  till  he  has  seen  it,  or  that  he 
knows  what  it  is  {and  if  it  be  an  hare  do  as  above  is 
said),1  and  if  it  be  ought  else  he  shall  blow  drawing 
with  his  horn  and  cry  loud  "  So-how  mon  amy, 
so-how,  sto  arere,  so-how,  so-howe,"  and  seek  forth- 
with again  with  three  long  motes  till  the  hare  be 
found.  Yet  7ievertheless  if  they  be  hart-hunters 
that  seek  a  covert  for  the  hare,  and  their  hounds 
find  a  fox,  whoso  meeteth  with  him  should  blow  out 
upon  him  to  warn  the  fewterers 2  that  there  is  a 
thief  in  the  wood.  And  if  they  run  at  the  hare  and 
the  hare  happen  to  come  out  to  the  greyhounds  in 
front  of  the  raches  and  be  killed,  the  fewterer  that 
let  run  should  blow  the  death  and  keep  it  as  whole 
as  he  may  till  the  hunters  be  come,  and  then  should 
they  reward  the  hounds  as  before  is  said. 

1  The  words  in  brackets  are  in  the  Shirley  MS. 

2  Huntsman  holding-  hounds  in  leash. 


CHAPTER    XXXVI 

OF  THE  ORDINANCE  AND  THE  MANNER  OF 
HUNTING  WHEN  THE  KING  WILL  HUNT  IN 
FORESTS  OR  IN  PARKS  FOR  THE  HART 
WITH    BOWS    AND    GREYHOUNDS    AND    STABLE 

The  Master  of  the  Game  should  he  in  accordance 
with  the  master  forester  or  parker  where  it  should 
he  that  the  King  should  hunt  such  a  day,  and  if 
the  tract  be  wide,  the  aforesaid  forester  or  parker 
should  warn  the  sheriff  of  the  shire  where  the  hunt- 
ing shall  he,  for  to  order  sufficient  stable ^  and  carts, 
also  to  bring  the  deer  that  should  be  slain  to  the 
place  where  the  curées  at  huntings  have  been  usually 
held.  And  thence  he  should  warn  the  hunters  and 
fewterers  whither  they  should  come,  and  the  forester 
should  have  men  ready  there  to  meet  them,  that 
they  go  no  farther,  nor  straggle  about  for  fear  of 
frightening  the  game,  before  the  King  comes.  And 
if  the  hunting  shall  be  in  a  park  all  men  should 
remain  at  the  park  gate,  save  the  stable  that  ought 
to  be  set  ere  the  King  comes,  and  they  should  be 

1  Men  and  hounds  stationed  at  different  places,  usually  on  the 
boundaries  of  the  district  in  which  the  game  was  to  be  roused 
and  hunted,  or  at  convenient  passes  from  whence  the  hounds 
could  be  slipped  at  the  game. 


THE   MANNER   OF   HUNTING     189 

set  by  the  foresters  or  parkers.  And  early  in  the 
morning  the  Master  of  the  Game  should  be  at  the 
wood  to  see  that  all  be  ready,  and  he  or  his  lieutenant 
or  such  hunters  that  he  wishes,  ought  to  set  the  grey- 
hounds and  who  so  be  teasers  1  to  the  King  or  to  the 
Queen,  or  to  their  attendants.  As  often  as  any 
hart  cometh  out  he  should  when  he  fasses  blow  a 
mote  and  recheat,  and  let  slip  to  tease  it  forth,  and 
if  it  be  a  stag,  he  should  let  him  pass  as  I  said  and 
rally  to  warn  the  fewterers  what  is  coming  out. 
And  to  lesser  deer  should  no  wight  let  run,  and  if  he 
hath  seen  the  stag,  not  unless  he  were  commanded.2 
And  then  the  master  forester  or  parker  ought  to  show 
him  the  King's  standing  if  the  King  would  stand 
with  his  bow,  and  where  all  the  remnant  of  the 
bows  would  stand.  And  the  yeoman  for  the  King's 
bows  ought  to  be  there  to  keep  and  make  the  King's 
standing,  and  remain  there  without  noise,  till  the 
King  comes.  And  the  grooms  that  keep  the  king's 
dogs  and  broken  greyhounds  should  be  there  zvith 
him,  for  they  belong  to  the  yeomen's  office,  and  also 
the  Master  of  the  Game  should  be  informed  by  the 
forester  or  parker  what  game  the  king  should  find 
within   the  set,3  and  when  all   this  is  done,  then 

1  Teasers,  a  small  hound  to  tease  forth  or  put  up  the  game. 

2  A  difficult  sentence  to  unravel.  In  the  Shirley  MS.  it 
runs  :  "  and  yif  hit  have  eseyne  nought  to  ye  stagge,  but  yif  he 
were  avaunced." 

3  "Within  the  set"  means  within  that  quarter  of  the  forest 
or  park  around  which  are  set  or  stationed  the  men  and  hounds, 
called  the  stable. 


i9o         THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

should  the  Master  of  the  Game  worthe  (mount) 
upon  (his)  horse  and  meet  the  King  and  bring  him 
to  his  standing  and  tell  him  what  game  is  within  the 
set,  and  how  the  greyhounds  be  set,  and  also  the 
stable,  and  also  tell  him  where  it  is  best  for  him 
to  stand  with  his  bow  or  with  his  greyhounds,  for 
it  is  to  be  known  that  the  attendants  of  his  chamber 
and  of  the  queen's  should  be  best  placed,  and  the  two 
few  ter  er  s  ought  to  make  fair  lodges  of  green  boughs 
at  the  tryste  to  keep  the  King  and  Queen  and  ladies, 
and  gentlewomen  and  also  the  greyhounds  from  the 
sun  and  bad  weather.  And  when  the  King  is  at  his 
standing  or  at  his  tryste,  whichever  he  prefers,  and 
the  Master  of  the  Game  or  his  lieutenant  have  set 
the  bows  and  assigned  who  shall  lead  the  Queen  to 
her  tryste,  then  he  should  blow  the  three  long  motes 
for  the  uncoupling.  And  the  hart  hounds  and  the 
harriers  that  before  have  been  led  by  some  forester 
or  parker  thither  where  they  should  uncouple,  and 
all  the  hounds  that  belong  to  both  the  mutes  (packs) 
waiting  for  the  Master  of  the  Game's  blowing. 
Then  should  the  sergeant  of  the  mute  of  the  hart- 
hounds,  if  there  be  much  rascal  within  the  set,  make 
all  them  of  office,  save  the  yeomen  of  the  horse, 
hardel 1  their  hounds,  and  in  every  hardel  two  or 
three  couple  of  hounds  at  the  most  suffice.  And 
then  to  stand  abroad  in  the  woods  for  relays,  and 
then  blow  three  motes  to  the  uncoupling.     And  then 

1  To  tie  the  couples  of  hounds  together. 


THE   MANNER   OF   HUNTING     191 

should  the  harrier  uncouple  his  hounds  and  blow 
three  motes  and  seek  forth  saying  loud  and  long, 
"  hoo  sto  ho  sto,  mon  amy,  ho  sto  "  and  if  they  draw 
far  from  him  in  any  unruly  manner  he  should 
speak  to  them  in  that  case  as  when  he  seeketh  for 
the  hare.  And  as  oft  as  he  passes  within  the  set 
from  one  quarter  to  another,  he  should  blow  drawing, 
and  when  he  is  passed  the  boundary  of  the  quarter, 
and  entered  into  a  new  quarter,  he  should  blow  three 
motes  and  seek  forth,  but  if  so  be,  that  his  hounds 
enchace  anything  as  he  wishes,  and  if  any  hound 
happen  to  find  of  the  Kings  (game),  he  should  hue 
to  him  by  his  name  and  say  loud  :  "  Oyez  a 
Bemond,  oyez-oyez,  assemble,  assemble,''''  or  what 
the  hound  is  named,  "  assemble,  assemble  "  and 
jopey  and  rally.  And  if  it  be  an  hart  and  any  of 
the  hart  hounds  meet  with  it  they  should  blow  a 
mote  and  rechace  and  relay,  and  go  forth  therewith 
all  rechacing  among.  And  if  it  come  to  the  bows 
or  to  greyhounds  and  be  dead,  he  should  blow  the 
death  when  he  is  come  thither,  and  reward  his 
hounds  a  little,  and  couple  them  up  and  go  again  to 
his  place.  And  if  the  hart  has  escaped  he  should  no 
longer  rechace,  but  blow  drawing  and  draw  in  again, 
and  in  the  best  way  that  he  can,  take  up  his  hounds 
and  get  in  front  of  them.  And  after  that  the  har- 
riers have  well  run  and  well  made  the  rascal  void,1 
then  should  the  sergeant  and  the  berner  s  of  the  hart 

1  Made  the  smaller  deer  clear  out  of  the  forest. 


192         THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

hounds  blow  three  motes,  the  one  after  the  other  ana 
uncouple  there  where  they  suppose  the  best  ligging 
(lair)  is  for  a  hart,  and  seek  as  before  is  said  ;  unless 
it  be  the  season  when  the  hart9 s  head  is  tender,  then 
he  shall  use  some  of  the  aforesaid  words  of  seeking 
to  the  hounds  :  "  Le  douiez,  mon  amy,  le  douiez, 
le  doules,"  and  if  his  hounds  find  anything  do  as 
before  is  said,  and  if  it  be  a  hart,  do  as  above  is 
said,  as  he  may  know  by  his  fues  or  by  men  that 
meet  with  him.  And  if  it  be  ought  else,  the  berner 
ought  to  blow  drawings  and  who  meeteth  with  him 
(the  hart)  call  to  them,  and  the  berner  should  say 
"  Sto  arere  so  how,  so  how."  And  if  the  lymerer 
meet  withal,  or  see  by  the  fues  that  it  is  an  hart,  he 
should  sue  thereto  till  he  be  dead.  If  it  go  to  the 
greyhounds  and  if  it  go  to  the  bows,  and  be  smitten 
anon,  as  he  findeth  blood  he  should  take  up  his 
hounds  and  lead  them  thence  and  reward  them  a 
little,  and  then  if  he  escape  out  of  the  set,  he  should 
reward  his  hounds,  and  take  them  up  and  go  again 
to  the  wood  and  look  if  he  may  meet  with  anything. 
And  as  often  as  he  meeteth  and  findeth,  or  his 
hounds  run  on  a  fresh  scent,  do  as  before  is  said. 
And  one  thing  is  to  be  known,  that  the  hart-hounds 
should  never  be  uncoupled  before  any  other,  unless  a 
hart  be  readily  harboured,  and  that  he  may  be 
sued  to  and  moved  with  the  lymer,  or  else  that  they 
be  uncoupled  to  a  herd  of  great  male  deer  at  the 
view,  namely  within  a  set  in  a  forest  or  in  a  park, 


t-****? 


Cr  io:6  iXiiv  trnnur  fimftuucr.  oit.  ex  ouift  feu*  munies  <tt# 


^     SB 


cr  picnteclc  urnramimr  wj 


quUforrpj55- 


'frmfcromenrem  Ooir  rfonrtnrr  (c 
t quant  a 
fcmpits 

lr$<umcs 
quifciotir 
Cciatrrtrae 

minor  pufc  couuiu  Tdf  Dir 
urufuirVcr  Ir  toir  coojdncr  <r 
ôrflmt?  carcic  mamax-jur 
mmr-.tiair  qvmiv  (rirrfr* 


rtf  (Tlcamfliir. 
pits  cr  on  icuulr  cfawclntrOM 
ttut  tiara*  Uitrftr  ou  en*  com 
mtr.ecptustour 
ajrp«r?ni  cerf  eus  la  atu .  :*>  qpœ 
pin  cttc  rrnTrraxaino. 
piruuc     ofrqutitotttiBttrtl 
boircc  c  couinons 

iron 
rirr^ctmnrawifr/ 
IU7J  tuu  ai '.'ipr(  ou  count,  rr 
ttmtrr  jar  Dur  urqrque/ftt 


THE    "UNDOING"    OR   GRALLOCHING   OF   THE    HART 

THE   MASTER    INSTRUCTING   HIS   HUNTERS   HOW   IT   IS   DONE 
(From  IMS.  f.  fr.  616,  Bib.  Nat.,  Paris) 


THE   MANNER    OF   HUNTING     193 

there  where  there  is  a  great  change  of  rascal.  And 
that  is  the  cause  why  the  other  hounds  shall  be  first 
uncoupled  to  make  the  rascal  void,  for  small  deer 
will  sooner  leave  their  covert  than  will  a  great 
hart,  unless  it  be  a  hind  that  hath  her  calf  in  the 
wood,  and  hath  lately  calved.  And  when  the 
rascal  is  thus  voided  then  the  hart  hounds  are 
uncoupled  and  they  find  the  great  old  wily  deer  that 
will  not  lightly  void,  and  they  enchace  him  well  and 
lustily  and  make  him  void  both  to  bows  and  to 
greyhounds,  so  that  they  fully  do  their  duty.  And 
all  the  while  that  the  hunting  lasteth  should  the 
carts  go  about  from  place  to  place  for  to  bring  the 
deer  to  the  curée.  And  there  should  the  server 1 
of  the  hall  be  to  arrange  the  curves,  and  to  lay  the 
game  in  a  row,  all  the  heads  one  way — and  every 
deer's  feet  to  the  other's  back.  The  harts  should 
be  laid  in  two  or  three  rows  (by  themselves)  accord- 
ing to  whether  there  be  many  or  few,  and  the  rascal 
in  the  same  way  by  themselves,  and  they  should  take 
care  that  no  man  come  within  the  curves  till  the 
King  come,  save  the  Master  of  the  Game.  And 
when  the  covert  is  well  hunted  and  cleared,  then 
should  the  Master  of  the  Game  come  to  the  King  to 
know  .  if  he  would  hunt  any  piore.  And  if  the 
King  say  yea,  then  shall  the  Master  of  the  Game 
if  the  greyhounds  or  bows  or  stable  need  not  to  be 

1  The  beginning  of  this  sentence  relating  to  the  "  server  of 
the  hall"  is  not  in  our  MS.  but  in  the  Shirley  MS. 

N 


i94        THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

removed,  blow  two  long  motes  for  the  hounds,  and 
forthwith  blow  drawing  with  three  long  motes  that 
men  should  stand  still,  and  the  hunters  may  know 
that  they  should  come  to  a  new  seeking  with  their 
hounds.  And  when  the  hounds  be  come  there  where 
they  should  uncouple  blow  three  long  motes  and  do 
and  seek  and  blow,  as  is  before  said.  And  if  the 
bows  and  greyhounds  and  stable  should  be  removed, 
then  should  he  blow  a  mote  and  stroke,  without  the 
mote  in  the  middle,  for  to  draw  men  together,  and 
thereby  may  men  know  that  the  king  will  hunt  more 
ere  he  go  home.  And  when  men  come  together,  then 
should  the  Master  of  the  Game  see  to  the  placing 
of  the  King  and  of  the  Queen  and  of  the  bows  and 
of  the  greyhounds  and  of  the  stable,  as  I  have  said 
here  before,  and  the  hunters  to  their  seeking,  and  of 
all  other  things  do  in  the  same  manner  as  I  have 
said.  And  if  the  king  will  hunt  no  more,  then 
should  the  Master  of  his  Game,  if  the  King  will 
not  blow,  blow  a  mote  and  stroke  with  a  mote  in  the 
middle  and  the  sergeant  or  whoso  bloweth  next  him, 
and  no  man  else,  should  blow  the  first  mote  but  only 
the  middle,  and  so  every  man  as  oft  as  he  likes  to 
stroke,  if  they  have  obtained  that  which  they  hunted 
for.  And  the  middle  mote  should  not  be  blown  save 
by  him  that  bloweth  next  the  master.  And  thereby 
may  men  know  as  they  hear  men  stroke  homeward 
whether  they  have  well  sped  or  not.     And  this  way 


THE   MANNER   OF   HUNTING     195 

of  stroking  should  serve  in  the  manner  I  have  re- 
hearsed for  all  hunting  save  when  the  hart  is  slain 
with  strength.  And  when  the  mote  is  blown  and 
stroked,  then  should  the  Master  of  the  Game  lead 
the  King  to  the  curée,  and  show  it  him,  and  no  man 
as  I  have  said  above  should  come  within  it,  but 
every  man  (keep)  without  it.  And  then  the  King 
shall  tell  the  Master  of  the  Game  what  deer  he 
would  were  (given  away)  and  to  whom,  and  (after 
this)  if  the  King  wishes  to  stay  he  may.  Never- 
theless he  usually  goes  home  when  he  hath  done 
this.  And  then  should  the  Master  of  the  Game 
begin  at  one  row  and  so  forth,  and  tythe  all  the  deer 
right  as  they  lie,  rascal  and  others,  and  deliver  it  to 
the  proctors  of  the  church  that  ought  to  have  it. 
And  then  (separate)  the  deer  that  the  king  com- 
manded him  to  deliver,  and  if  any  of  them  that 
should  have  part  of  the  deer  be  not  there  he  should 
charge  the  master  forester  to  send  it  home,  and  then 
he  should  deliver  a  certain  (part)  of  the  remnant  to 
the  afore  said  sewers  and  to  the  sergeant  of  the 
larder  and  the  remnants  should  be  given  by  the 
Master  of  the  Game,  some  to  the  gentlemen  of  the 
country  by  the  information  of  the  forester  or  parker, 
as  they  have  been  friendly  to  the  bailie,  and  the 
remnant  to  the  officers  and  hunters  as  he  liketh  best. 
And  it  is  to  be  known  that  every  man  bow  and 
fewterer  that  hath  slain  anything  should  mark  it 


196         THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

that  he  might  challenge  his  fee,  and  have  it  at  the 
curée,  hut  let  him  beware  that  he  marks  no  lord's 
mark  nor  (other)  fewterers  nor  hunters,  or  he  will 
lose  his  fee.  And  also  it  is  to  he  known  that  the 
fees  of  all  follies  belong  to  the  master  of  the  harriers, 
if  so  he  that  he  or  his  deputy  he  at  the  hunting,  and 
blow  three  motes  and  else  not,  in  which  case  the 
Master  of  the  Game  can  give  it  to  whom  he  wishes 
save  what  the  King  slayeth  with  his  bow  or  the 
Queen  or  my  lord  the  prince,  or  that  which  they 
bid  with  their  own  mouth  to  let  run  to.  And  all 
shall  be  judged  folly  of  red  deer  which  is  beneath 
the  hart,  and  of  fallow  deer  which  is  beneath  the 
buck,  nevertheless  if  the  harrier  would  challenge 
the  deer  for  folly,  and  it  is  not  folly,  if  there  be  a 
strife  with  him  who  asketh  the  fee,  the  Master  of 
the  Game  shall  judge  it,  and  right  so  shall  he  do 
of  all  these  strifes  for  fees  between  bow  and  bow, 
and  fewterer  and  fewterer,  and  of  all  other  strifes 
and  discords  that  belong  to  hunting.  And  when  all 
the  deer  be  delivered,  and  the  hunters  and  the 
fewterers  of  the  kennel  be  assigned  to  undo  the  deer 
that  be  delivered  for  the  king's  larder,  then  should 
the  grooms  chacechiens  of  the  hart-hounds  gather 
the  paunches  and  small  guts  together  and  do  with 
them  as  is  advised  in  the  chapter  of  the  hart  hunting 
with  strength,  and  get  them  a  skin  to  lie  thereover, 
and  do  as  in  the  same  chapter  described  with  the 


THE   MANNER   OF   HUNTING     197 

greatest  and  best  head  (antlers)  that  they  can  find 
in  all  the  curée.     Save  the  blowing  of  the  frise  and 
the  stroking  and  the  menée,  the  bay  should  wait  till 
the  curées  be  done,  and  the  flesh   taken  away,  and 
there  should  the  Master  of  the  Game  be,  and  the 
sergeant   and   all    the   yeomen   and   grooms   of  the 
office.     And  if  the  greyhounds  1  shall  be  rewarded 
it  should  be  done  right  as  is  devised  in  the  aforesaid 
chapter,  except  that  the  blowings  above  described 
shall   be   left    out.     And   also   whosoever   slew    the 
deer  the  yeomen  of  the  office  should  have  the  skin 
that  lyeth  upon  the  deer  when  the  hounds  are  re- 
warded.    And  also  it  is  to  know  that  the  harriers 
when   they   have  run  shall  be  rewarded  with   the 
paunches  and  guts,  but  there  is  no  need  to  make  a 
long  bay  with  the  hart's  head  to  them,  for  they  are 
made  to  run  and  chase  all  game  that  one  wishes,  and 
that  is  the  cause  why  the  master  of  them  has  the  fees 
of  all  deer  save  the  hart  and  the  buck,  unless  it  be 
in  the  certain  case  before  mentioned.     And  when 
the  cure'e  is  done,  and  the  bay  made,  then  is  the 
time  for  every  man  to  draw  homeward  to  his  supper 
and  to  make  himself  as  merry  as  he  can.     And  when 
the  yeomen  berner  s  and  grooms  .have  led  home  the 
hounds  and  set  them  well  up  and  supplied  them 
with  water  and  straw  according  to  what  they  need, 
then  should  they  go  to  their  supper  and  drink  well 

1  Shirley  MS.,  "harthounds." 


198         THE   MASTER   OF   GAME 

and  make  merry.  And  of  the  fees  it  is  to  be  known 
that  the  man  whoever  he  be,  who  has  smitten  a  deer 
while  -posted  at  his  tree  with  a  death-stroke  so  that 
the  deer  be  got  before  the  sun  goes  down,  he  shall 
have  the  skin.  And  if  he  be  not  posted  or  has  gone 
from  his  tree,  or  has  done  otherwise  than  is  said,  he 
shall  have  none.  And  as  of  the  fewterers,  if  they 
be  posted,  the  first  teaser  and  receiver  1  that  draweth 
the  deer  down  shall  divide  the  skin.2  Nevertheless 
in  other  lord's  hunting  whoso  pincheth  first  and 
goeth  therewith  to  the  death  he  shall  have  the 
skin.  And  all  the  deer's  necks  are  the  hunters,  and 
one  shoulder  and  the  chine  is  his  that  undoeth  the 
deer,  and  the  other  shoulder  is  the  forester's  or  the 
parker's  fee  that  keepeth  the  bailie  that  is  hunted. 
And  all  the  skins  of  harts  slain  with  strength  of  the 
hart-hounds,  belong  to  the  master  of  the  hart-hounds 
as  his  fee,  that  is  to  say  he  that  hath  the  wages  of 
twelve  pence  a  day  for  the  office.  It  is  to  be  known 
that  when  the  king  hunteth  in  the  park  or  in  the 
forest  with  bows  and  greyhounds,  and  it  happens 
that  any  hart  be  slain  with  strength  of  hart-hounds, 
all  the  hart  hunters  after  the  King  or  the  Master  of 
his  Game  have  blown  a  mote  and  stroked,  all  day 
they  should  stroke  the  assise  that  belongeth  to  the 

1  Shirley  MS.  has  "  resteynour." 

2  This  means  that  the  men  in  whose  charge  the  teasers  and 
receivers  were  placed  were  given  the  skin  or  fee. 


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THE   MANNER   OF   HUNTING     199 


hart  slain  with  strength,  but  not  with  eight 
motes,  but  with  four  short  and  four  long  motes,  as  is 
in  the  aforesaid  chapter  plainly  devised.  And  all 
the  other  hunters  should  stroke  the  common  stroking 
as  is  above  described  and  said. 


END    OF    THE    BRITISH    MUSEUM    MS. 
VESPASIAN    B.    XII. 


The  following  is  the  concluding  passage 
of  the  Shirley  Manuscript  (Add.  MS. 
16,  165)  in  the  British  Museum  : — 

Now  I  pray  unto  every  creature  that  hath  heard 
or  reaà  this  little  treatise  of  whatever  estate  or 
condition  he  be  that  there  where  there  is  too  little 
of  good  language  that  of  their  benignity  and  grace 
they  will  add  more,  and  there  where  there  is  too 
much  superfluity  that  they  will  also  abridge  it  as 
may  seem  best  by  their  good  and  wise  discretion. 
Not  presuming  that  I  had  over  much  knowledge 
and  ability  to  put  into  writing  this  royal  disportful 
and  noble  game  of  hunting  so  effectually  that  it 
might  not  be  submitted  to  the  correction  of  all  gentle 
hunters.  And  in  my  simple  manner  as  best  I 
could  and  as  might  be  learned  of  old  and  many 
diverse  gentle  hunters,  I  did  my  business  in  this 
rude  manner  to  put  the  craft  and  the  terms  and  the 
exercise  of  this  said  game  more  in  remembrance 
and  openly  to  the  knowledge  of  all  lords,  ladies, 
gentlemen  and  women,  according  to  the  customs  and 
manners  used  in  the  high  noble  court  of  this  Realm 
of  England* 

ftnis 


APPENDIX 


ACQUILLEZ,  Fr.,  to  take,  to  hold  at  bay,  to  gather. 
"  Et  s'il  voit  que  les  chiens  heussent  acueili  le  change  " 
(G.  de  F.,  p.  156) — "if  he  sees  that  the  hounds  have 
taken  the  change."  It  also  denotes  :  "  owning  to  the 
scent  "  (Senechal,  p.  8  ;  Roy  Modus,  xxix.  v). 

Twici  says  :  "  Les  chevereaus  ne  sunt  mie  enchacez 
ne  aquyllees,"  which  Dryden  translates,  "  the  roebuck 
is  not  chased  nor  hunted  up,"  from  enqulller  or  aquiller^ 
O.  Fr.  a  form  of  accuellir,  to  push,  put  in  motion,  excite. 
"The  word  in  English  which  is  nearest  to  it  is  'to 
imprime,'  which  was  afterwards  used  for  the  unhar- 
bouring  of  the  hart  "  (Twici,  p.  26). 

In  the  old  English  translation  of  Twici  (Vesp.  B. 
XII.)  aquylees  is  construed  "  gadered,"  which  is  certainly 
one  sense,  but  not  the  one  here  required  (Twici,  p.  53). 

The  "  Master  of  Game  "  translates  ils  accueillent  in 
G.  de.  F.,  p.  112,  by  "  they  run  to  them  "  (p.  1 1 1.  See 
also  Godefroy). 

AFFETED,  Mid.  Eng.,  afaiten  ;  O.  Fr.  afaitier, 
to  trim,  to  fashion.  A  well-affaited  or  affeted  head, 
a  well-fashioned  or  good-shaped  head.  In  speaking  of 
stags'  antlers,  means  regularly  tinèd  and  well  grown. 

Affeted  also  meant  trained  or  tamed,  reclaimed,  made 
gentle,  thoroughly  manned.  Affaiter  is  still  in  use  in 
M.  Fr.,  as  a  term  of  falconry. 

We  find  this  word  employed  in  this  sense  in  the 
Vision  of  Piers  Plowman  (1362)  :     "And  go  affayte  the 


202  APPENDIX 

Fawcons,  wilde  fowles  to  kill."  And  in  O.  Fr.  sport- 
ing literature  one  constantly  reads  of  "  Chiens  bien, 
affaities"  (well-broken  dogs);  "oiseaux  bien  affaities" 
(well-trained  hawks).  Roy  Modus,  lxxix.  ;  Bormans, 
p.  52  ;  La  Chace  dou  Cerf,  Jub.  157  ;  T.M.  vol.  ii. 
P-  933- 

ALAUNTES,  Allaunts,  Canis  Alanus  ;  Fr.  alans. 
Also  spelt  alande,  alaunt,  allaundes,  Aloundys  (MS.  Brit. 
Mus.,  Egerton,  1995).     See  also  Twici,  p.  56. 

A  strong,  ferocious  dog,  supposed  to  have  been  brought 
to  Western  Europe  by  a  Caucasian  tribe  called  Alains 
or  Alani.  This  tribe  invaded  Gaul  in  the  fourth  cen- 
tury, settling  there  awhile,  and  then  continued  their 
wanderings  and  overran  Spain.  It  is  from  this  country 
that  the  best  alans  were  obtained  during  the  Middle 
Ages,  and  dogs  that  are  used  for  bull-  or  bear-baiting 
there  are  still  called  Alanos.  Gaston  de  Foix,  living  on 
the  borders  of  this  country,  was  in  the  best  position  to 
obtain  such  dogs,  and  to  know  all  about  them.  His 
description,  which  we  have  here,  tallies  exactly  with 
that  written  in  a  Spanish  book,  Libra  de  la  Monteria, 
on  hunting  of  the  fourteenth  century,  written  by 
Alphonso  XL 

Alauntes  were  used  as  war  dogs,  and  it  was  said  that 
when  once  they  seized  their  prey  they  would  not  loose 
their  hold. 

Cotgrave  (Sherwood's  App.)  says  that  the  mastiff 
resembles  an  Alan,  and  also  Wynn  in  his  book  on  the 
"British  Mastiff"  (p.  45)  says  that  he  is  inclined  to 
think  that  the  Alan  is  the  ancient  name  for  mastiff,  and 
thinks  it  possible  that  the  Phoenicians  brought  this  breed 
to  the  British  Isles.  He  cannot  have  known  the  descrip- 
tion given  us  of  the  Alan  by  the  "  Master  of  Game," 
nor  can  he  have  been  acquainted  with  the  work  of 
Gaston  Phoebus,  for  he  says  that  the  Alan  is  not  men- 
tioned among  any  of  the  earlier  dogs  of  France  and 
Germany.     There  is  ample  evidence  that  they  existed 


APPENDIX  203 

in  France  from  very  early  days.  Probably  they  were 
relics  left  there  by  the  Alani  in  their  wanderings  through 
Gaul.  About  the  same  period  as  our  MS.  we  find  Alans 
mentioned  by  Chaucer,  who  in  the  "  Knight's  Tale  " 
describes  Lycurgus  seated  on  his  throne,  around  which 
stand  white  Alaunts  as  big  as  bulls  wearing  muzzles  and 
golden  collars. 

The  ancient  Galio-Latin  name  of  veltrahus,  or  ve/tris, 
which  in  the  first  instance  denoted  a  large  greyhound 
used  for  the  chase  of  the  bear  and  wild  boar,  passed  later 
to  a  different  kind  of  dog  used  for  the  same  purpose. 
These  ve/tres,  viautres,  or  vautres  were  also  known  under 
the  name  of  Alan,  and  resembled  the  Great  Dane  or 
the  German  Boarhound  (De  Noir.,  vol.  ii.  p.  295-7). 

ANTLER,  O.  Fr.  auntilor,  antoil/er,  or  andoiller,  de- 
rived from  a  Teutonic  root  ;  Anglo-Saxon  andwlit  ; 
Frank,  antlutt  or  antluzze  ;  Goth,  andawleiz  ;  O.  Ger. 
antliz  ;  face.  Gaston  Phcebus  and  Roy  Modus  and 
other  old  French  authors  almost  invariably  use  teste,  or 
head,  when  referring  to  a  hart's  antlers,  but  English 
writers  did  not  observe  time-hallowed  terms  of  venery 
so  rigorously,  and  our  author  frequently  uses  the  jarring 
and,  from  every  point  of  view,  incorrect  term  "horns" 
when  speaking  of  the  hart's  attire  or  head.  The  sub- 
stance of  deers'  antlers  is  true  bone,  the  proportion  of 
their  constituents  differing  but  very  slightly  from  ordinary 
bones.  The  latter,  when  in  a  healthy  condition,  consist 
of  about  one-third  of  animal  matter  or  gelatine,  and  two- 
thirds  of  earthy  matter,  about  six-sevenths  of  which  is 
phosphate  of  lime  and  one-seventh  carbonate  of  lime, 
with  an  appreciable  trace  of  magnesia.  The  antlers  of 
deer  consist  of  about  thirty-nine  parts  of  animal  matter 
and  sixty-one  parts  of  earthy  matter  of  the  same  kind 
and  proportion  as  is  found  in  common  bone.  Later  on, 
a  more  sportsmanlike  regard  for  terms  of  venery  is  ob- 
servable, and  Turbervile  in  one  of  his  few  original  pas- 
sages impresses  upon  his  fellow-sportsmen  :  "  Note  that 


204  APPENDIX 

when  you  speake  of  a  harts  homes,  you  must  terme  them 
the  Head  and  not  the  Homes  of  a  hart.  And  likewise 
of  a  bucke  ;  but  a  Rowes  homes  and  a  Gotes  homes  are 
tollerable  termes  in  Venery  "  (1611,  p.  239). 

Up  to  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century  it  was  cus- 
tomary when  speaking  of  a  stag's  head  to  refer  only  to 
the  tines  "  on  top,"  or  the  "  croches  "  or  "  troches,"  leav- 
ing unconsidered  the  brow,  bez  and  trez  tines,  which 
were  called  the  stag's  "  rights,"  and  which  every  warrant- 
able hart  was  supposed  as  a  matter  of  course  to  possess. 
When  referring  to  the  number  of  tines  a  head  bore,  it 
was  invariably  the  rule  to  use  only  even  numbers,  and 
to  double  the  number  of  tines  borne  by  the  antler  which 
had  most.  Thus,  a  stag  with  three  on  each  top  was  a 
head  of  "  twelve  of  the  less  "  (or  "  lasse  ")  ;  "  twelve  of 
the  greater"  when  he  had  three  and  four  on  top,  or, 
counting  the  rights,  six  and  seven  tines,  or,  as  a  modern 
Scotch  stalker  would  call  it,  a  thirteen-pointer.  The 
extreme  number  of  tines  a  hart  was  supposed  to  bear 
was  thirty-two. 

BERCELET,  barcelette,  bercelette,  is  a  corruption  of 
the  O.  Fr.  berseret,  a  hunting  dog,  dim.  of  bersier,  a 
huntsman  ;  in  Latin,  bersarius,  French,  berser,  bercer,  to 
hunt  especially  with  the  bow.  Berce/,  biercel,  meant  a 
butt  or  target.  Italian,  bersaglio,  an  archer's  butt,  whence 
bersag/iere,  archer  or  sharpshooter  (Oxford,  and  Godefroy 
Diet.). 

Given  the  above  derivation,  it  may  be  fairly  accepted 
that  bercelet  was  a  dog  fitted  to  accompany  a  hunter  who 
was  going  to  shoot  his  game — a  shooting  dog.  The 
"  Master  of  Game's  "  allusion  also  points  to  this.  He 
says  some  mastiffs  {see  Mastiff)  become  "  berslettis,  and 
also  to  bring  well  and  fast  a  wanlace  about."  We  might 
translate  this  sentence  :  "  There  are  nevertheless  some 
(mastiffs)  that  become  shooting  dogs,  and  retrieve  well 
and  put  up  the  game  quickly  "  {see  Appendix  :  Wanlace). 

Jesse  conceives  bracelettas  and  bercelettus  to  come  from 


APPENDIX  205 

brache,  but  that  can  scarcely  be  so,  as  we  see  the  two 
words  used  together,  as  the  following  quotations  will 
show  : 

"  Parler  m'orez  d'un  buen  brachet. 
Qens  ne  rois  n'ont  tel  berseret." 

T.  M.  i.  14404. 

When  the  fair  Ysolt  is  parting  from  her  lover  Tristan 
she  asks  him  to  leave  her  this  same  brachet,  and  says  that 
no  huntsman's  shooting  dog  will  be  kept  with  more 
honour  : 

"  Husdent  me  lesse,  ton  brachet. 
Ainz  berseret  à  vénéor 
N'ert  gardée  à  tel  honor 
Comme  cist  sera." 

Ibid.  i.  2660. 

Jesse  quotes  Blount's  "Antient  Tenures":  "In  the 
6th  of  John,  Joan,  late  wife  of  John  King,  held  a  ser- 
jeantry  in  Stanhow,  in  the  county  of  Norfolk,  by  the 
service  of  keeping  'Bracelettum  deymerettum  of  our 
Lord  the  King,'  "  and  Jesse  thinks  these  might  have  been 
a  bitch  pack  of  deerhounds,  overlooking  the  fact  that  it 
was  only  in  later  days  that  the  words  brache  and  rache 
were  used  for  bitch  hounds.  As  deymerettum  meant 
fallow  deer,  the  bracelettum  or  bercelettum  deymerettum  may 
be  taken,  I  think,  to  mean  those  hounds  that  were  used 
for  buck-shooting  (Jesse,  ii.  21). 

BERNER,  bernar  ;  O.  Fr.  bernier,  brenier,  a  man 
who  has  the  charge  of  hounds,  a  huntsman,  or,  perhaps, 
would  be  more  accurately  described  as  a  kennelman. 
The  word  seems  to  have  been  derived  from  the  French 
brenler  or  bernier^  one  who  paid  his  dues  to  his  feudal 
lord  in  bran  of  which  bread  was  made  for  the  lord's 
hounds.  Brenage^  brennage,  or  bernage  was  the  tenure  on 
which  land  was  held  by  the  payment  of  bran,  and  the 
refuse  of  all  grains,  for  the  feeding  of  hounds.  Berner 
in  its  first  sense  meant  finder  of  bran,  then   feeder   of 


2o6  APPENDIX 

hounds.  This  word  seems  to  have  remained  in  use  in 
England  long  after  it  had  disappeared  from  the  language 
of  French  venery.  Gaston  no  longer  uses  the  word 
berner,  but  has  valet  de  chiens. 

BISSHUNTERS,  furhunters.  Our  MS.  (p.  74)  de- 
clares that  no  one  would  hunt  conies  unless  they  were 
bisshunters,  that  is  to  say  rabbits  would  not  be  hunted 
for  the  sake  of  sport,  but  only  for  the  sake  of  their  skins. 
Bisse,  bys,  byse  was  a  fur  much  in  vogue  at  the  period  of 
our  MS.,  as  its  frequent  mention  in  contemporaneous 
records  testifies. 

BLENCHES,  trick,  deceit;  O.  N.  blekkja  (Strat.). 
Blanch,  or  blench,  to  head  back  the  deer  in  its  flight. 
Blancher  or  blencher,  a  person  or  thing  placed  to  turn 
the  deer  in  a  particular  direction. 

BO  CE,  from  the  French  bosse,  O.  Fr.  boce,  boss,  hump 
or  swelling.  Cotgrave  says  :  "  Boss,  the  first  putting  out 
of  a  Deere's  head,  formerly  cast,  which  our  woodmen 
call,  if  it  bee  a  red  Deere's,  the  burle,  or  seale,  and,  if  a 
fallow  Deeres,  the  button." 


BOUGHS,  bowes  [brisées).  When  the  huntsman 
went  to  harbour  the  deer  he  broke  little  branches  or  twigs 
to  mark  the  place  where  he  noticed  any  signs  of  a  stag. 
Also,  at  times  during  the  chase  he  was  instructed  to  do 
the  same,  placing  the  twigs  pointing  towards  the  direction 
the  stag  had  gone,  so  that  if  the  hounds  lost  the  scent  he 
could  bring  them  back  to  his  last  markings,  and  put  them 
on  the  line  again.  In  harbouring  the  stag  a  twig  was 
broken  off  and  placed  in  front  of  the  slot  with  the  end 
pointing  in  the  direction  in  which  the  stag  was  going  ; 
each  time  the  harbourer  turned  in  another  direction  a 
twig  was  to  be  broken  and  placed  so  as  to  show  which 
way  he  took  ;  sometimes  the  twig  was  merely  bent  and 


APPENDIX  207 

left  hanging  on  the  tree,  sometimes  broken  off  and  put 
into  the  ground  (in  French  this  was  called  making  brisées 
hautes  or  brisées  basses).  When  making  his  ring- walks 
round  the  covert  the  harbourer  was  told  to  put  a  mark 
to  every  slot  he  came  across  ;  the  slot  of  a  stag  was  to 
be  marked  by  scraping  a  line  behind  the  heel,  of  a  hind 
by  making  a  line  in  front  of  the  toe.  If  it  was  a  fresh 
footing  a  branch  or  twig  should  be  placed  as  well  as  the 
marking,  for  a  hind  one  twig,  for  a  stag  two.  If  it  be  a 
stale  trace  no  twig  must  be  placed.  Thus,  if  he  returned 
later,  the  hunter  would  know  if  any  beast  had  broken 
from  or  taken  to  covert  since  he  harboured  his  stag  in 
the  morning.  When  the  harbourer  went  to  "  move  " 
the  stag  with  his  limer  he  was  to  make  marks  with 
boughs  and  branches  so  that  the  berners  with  their  hounds 
should  know  which  way  to  go  should  they  be  some 
distance  from  the  limer  (Roy  Modus,  x.  v  ;  xii.  r  ; 
xiii.  r  ;  Du  Fouilloux,  32  r).  Blemish  is  the  word  used 
by  Turbervile  for  brisées  (Turbervile,  161 1,  p.  95,  104, 
114). 

CHANGE.  The  change,  in  the  language  of  stag 
hunting,  was  the  substitution  of  one  deer  for  another  in 
the  chase.  After  the  hounds  have  started  chasing  a  stag, 
the  hunted  animal  will  often  find  another  stag  or  a  hind, 
and  pushing  it  up  with  its  horns  or  feet  will  oblige  it  to 
get  up  and  take  his  place,  lying  down  himself  in  the  spot 
where  he  found  the  other,  and  keeping  quiet,  with  his 
antlers  close  over  his  back,  so  that  the  hounds  will,  if 
care  is  not  taken,  go  off  in  chase  of  the  substitute.  Some- 
times a  stag  will  go  into  a  herd  of  deer  and  try  to  keep 
with  them,  trying  to  shake  off  his  pursuers,  and  thus  give 
them  the  change. 

A  hound  that  sticks  to  the  first  stag  hunted,  and  re- 
fuses to  be  satisfied  with  the  scent  of  another  deer,  is 
called  a  staunch  hound,  one  who  will  not  take  the 
change,  which  was  considered  one  of  the  most  desirable 
qualities  in  a  staghound.     G.  de  F.,  in  speaking  of  the 


2o8  APPENDIX 

different  kinds  of  running  hounds,  says  that  there  were 
some  that,  when  they  came  to  the  change,  they  would 
leave  off  speaking  to  the  scent,  and  would  run  silently 
until  they  found  the  scent  of  their  stag  again  (G.  de  F., 
p.  109). 

CUREE,  Kyrre,  Quyrreye,  or  Quarry.  The  cere- 
mony of  giving  the  hounds  their  reward  was  thus  called 
because  it  was  originally  given  to  the  hounds  on  the 
hide  or  cuir  of  the  stag. 

Twici,  the  huntsman  of  Edward  IL,  says  that  after 
the  stag  is  taken  the  hounds  should  be  rewarded  with 
the  neck  and  bowels  and  the  liver.  ("  Et  il  se  serra 
mange  sur  le  quir.  E  pur  ceo  est  il  apelee  quyrreye.") 
When  the  hounds  receive  their  reward  after  a  hare-hunt 
he  calls  it  the  hallow.  In  the  "  Boke  of  St.  Albans  "  we 
find  the  quarry  given  on  the  skin,  and  it  is  only  in  the 
"  Master  of  Game  "  that  it  is  expressly  stated  that  a  nice 
piece  of  grass  was  to  be  found  on  which  the  hounds' 
mess  was  to  be  put,  and  the  hide  placed  over  it,  hair-side 
upwards,  the  head  being  left  on  it  and  held  up  by  the 
antlers,  and  thus  drawn  away  as  the  hounds  rush  up  to 
get  their  share.  According  to  Turbervile,  in  his  day  the 
reward  was  placed  on  the  hide  ;  at  least  he  does  not  in 
his  original  chapter  on  the  breaking  up  of  the  deer  notice 
any  such  difference  between  the  French  and  English 
customs.  In  France,  it  is  as  well  to  expressly  state,  the 
curée  was  always  given  on  the  hide  until  the  seventeenth 
century,  but  after  that  it  seems  the  hide  was  placed  over 
it  just  as  described  in  our  text  (De  Noirmont,  vol.  ii., 
p.  458).  Preceding  the  quarry  came  the  ceremonial 
breaking  up  of  the  deer.  The  stag  was  laid  on  its  back 
with  feet  in  the  air,  slit  open,  and  skinned  by  one  of  the 
chief  huntsmen,  who  took  a  pride  in  doing  it  according 
to  laws  of  woodmanscraft.  They  took  a  pride  in  not 
turning  up  their  sleeves  and  performing  everything  so 
daintily  that  their  garments  should  show  no  bloodstains  ; 
nobles,  and  princes  themselves,  made  it  a  point  of  honour 


APPENDIX  209 

to  be  well  versed  in  this  art.  After  the  skinning  was 
done,  it  was  customary  to  give  the  huntsman  who  was 
"undoing"  the  deer  a  drink  of  wine;  "and  he  must 
drinke  a  good  harty  draught  :  for  if  he  should  break  up 
the  dear  before  he  drinke  the  Venison  would  stink  and 
putrifie"  (Turb.,  161 1,  p.  128). 

In  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  the  limers  were  rewarded 
after  the  other  hounds,  but  they  were  never  allowed  to 
take  their  share  with  the  pack. 

The  bowels  or  guts  were  often  reserved,  and  put  on  a 
large  wooden  fork,  and  the  hounds  were  allowed  to  have 
this  as  a  sort  of  dessert  after  they  had  finished  their 
portion.  They  were  halloaed  to  by  the  huntsman 
whilst  he  held  the  fork  high  in  the  air  with  cries  of 
Tally  ho  !  or  Tiel  haut  !  or  Lau,  lau  !  This  tit-bit  was 
then  thrown  to  them.  This  was  called  giving  them 
the  forhu,  from  the  word  forthuer,  to  whoop  or  holloa 
loudly.  Probably  our  term  of  giving  the  hounds  the 
holloa  was  derived  from  this.  It  was  done  to  accustom 
the  hounds  to  rally  round  the  huntsman  when  excited 
by  a  similar  halloaing  when  they  were  hunting,  and  had 
lost  the  line  of  the  hunted  beast. 

In  some  instances  the  daintiest  morsels  were  reserved 
for  the  King  or  chief  personage,  and  for  this  purpose 
placed  on  a  large  wooden  fork  as  they  were  taken 
from  the  deer.  The  vein  of  the  heart  and  the  small 
fillets  attached  to  the  loins  (Turbervile  says  also  the 
haunches,  part  of  the  nombles  and  sides)  should  also  be 
kept  for  the  lord,  but  these  were  generally  recognised  as 
the  perquisites  of  the  huntsmen,  kennelmen,  foresters,  or 
parkers. 

EXCREMENTS,  fumes,  fewmets,  obs.  term  for  the 
droppings  of  deer.  From  the  Yx.  fumées.  G.  de  F.  says 
that  the  droppings  of  all  deer,  including  fallow  and  roe 
deer,  are  to  be  called  fumées.  The  "  Master  of  Game," 
no  doubt  following  the  custom  then  prevalentin  England, 
says  the  droppings  of  the  hart  only  are  to  be  called  fumes, 

O 


2io  APPENDIX 

and  of  the  buck  and  the  roebuck  croties.     The  following 
names  are  given  to  droppings  by — 

Gaston  de  Foix  and  Master  of  Game 

Of  the  hart        "l  Of  the  hart— Fumes. 

,,      buck        >  Fumées.  ,,     buck        )rr  .  ic 

,,      roebuck/  „      roebuck  j"  <~roteys- 

,,      bear  \  ,,      wild  boar  ^ 

wild  boar  VLaisses.  ,,      black  beasts  and  V  Lesses. 

,,      wolf  j  wolves  j 

,,      hare  and  conies — Crotes.  ,,      hare  and  Conies — Croties. 

,,      fox,  badger,  and  \  Fi  „      fox— The  wagging. 

stinking  beasts  j  '  ,,      grey  or  badger — The  Ward- 

, ,      otter — Spraintes.  robe. 

,,      stinking  beasts — The  Drit. 
otter — Spraintes. 

Other  forms  of  this  term  are  :  fewmets,  fewmishing, 
crotels,  crotisings,  freyn,  fuants,  billetings,  and  spraits. 

FENCE  MONTH.  The  month  so  called  began, 
according  to  Manwood,  fifteen  days  before  and  ended 
fifteen  days  after  midsummer.  During  this  time  great 
care  was  taken  that  no  men  or  stray  dogs  should  be 
allowed  to  wander  in  the  forest,  and  no  swine  or  cattle 
were  allowed  to  feed  within  the  precincts,  so  that  the 
deer  should  be  absolutely  undisturbed  during  three  or 
four  weeks  after  the  fawning  season.  He  tells  us  that 
because  in  this  month  there  must  be  watch  and  ward 
kept  with  men  and  weapons  for  the  fence  and  defence  of 
wild  beasts,  for  that  reason  the  same  is  called  fence  or 
defence  month  (Man.,  p.  76,  ed.  1598). 

FEWTE,  fuite,  fute  (M.  E.),  O.  Fr.  fuite  (voie  de 
cerf  qui  fuit),  track,  trace,  foot.  Gawaine  :  feute.  Will 
of  Palerne  (90)  :  foute.  Some  beasts  were  called  of  the 
sweet  fute,  and  some  of  the  stinking  fute.  The  lists  of 
the  beasts  which  should  come  under  either  heading  vary 
somewhat  ;  some  that  are  placed  by  the  "  Boke  of  St. 
Albans  "  under  "  Swete  fewte  "  coming  under  the  other 
category  in  the  MS.  Harl.,  2340. 


APPENDIX  2ii 

In  "Boke  of  St.  In  Harl.  MS.  2340, 

Albans."  fol.  50b. 

Beasts  of"  Swete  fewte." 

The   Buck,   the    Doo,  the  The  Buke,   the    Doo,   the 

Beere,    the    Reynd,    the  Ber,  the  Reyne  der,  the 

Elke,    the    Spycard,    the  Elke,  the  Spycard. 
Otre,  and   the  Martwn. 

Beasts  of  the  "  Stinking  few  te" 

The   Roobucke,   the    Roo,        ..... 

the  Fulmard,  the  Fyches,  The  Fulmard, the  Fechewe, 
the    Bauw,    the     Gray,  the  Catt,  the  Gray,  the 

the    Fox,    the     Squirrel,  Fox,    the     Wesyll,    the 

the  Whitecat,  the  Otyr,  Marteron,   the    Squirrel, 

the  Stot,  the  Pulcatt.  the      Whyterache,      the 

Otyr,     the     Stote,     the 

Polcatte. 

In  Roy  Modus  the  beasts  are  also  divided  into  bestes 
doulces  and  bestes  puans.  The  reasons  for  doing  so  are 
also  given  (fol.  lxii.)  :  "  Les  bestes  doulces  sont  :  le  cerf  la 
biche,  le  dain,  le  chevreul  et  le  lièvre.  Et  sont  appelées 
doulces  pour  trois  causes  :  La  première  si  est  que  d'elles  ne 
vient  nulle  mauvais  senteur  ;  la  seconde,  elles  ont  poil  de 
couleur  aimable,  lequel  est  blond  ou  fauve  ;  la  tierce  cause,  ce 
ne  sont  mie  bestes  mordans  comme  les  autres  cincq,  car  elles 
n'ont  nulz  dens  dessus  ;  et  pour  ces  raisons  puent  bien  estre 
nommées  bestes  doulces"  Under  the  bestes  puans  are  classed 
the  wild  boar,  the  wild  sow,  the  wolf,  the  fox,  and 
the  otter. 

FEWTERER,  the  man  that  lets  loose  the  grey- 
hounds (Blome,  p.  27)  ;  from  veltraria,  a  dog  leader  or 
courser  ;  originally  one  who  led  the  dogs  called  veltres, 
viautres  (see  Veltres).  In  Gallo-Latin,  Veltrahus.  It 
has  been  asserted  that  the  word  fewterer  is  a  corruption 


2i2  APPENDIX 

of  vautre  or  viautre,  a  boarhound,  but  although  both 
evidently  owe  their  origin  to  the  same  parent-word, 
fewterer  can  scarcely  be  derived  from  vautre,  a  boar- 
hound.  It  was  only  in  the  Middle  Ages  in  France  that 
the  word  vautre,  from  originally  meaning  a  powerful 
greyhound,  was  applied  to  a  large  boarhound.  Fewterers 
in  England  appear  invariably  as  attendants  on  grey- 
hounds, not  boarhounds.  Another  derivation  has  been 
also  given  from  fewte,  foot  or  track,  a  fewterer  being, 
according  to  this,  a  huntsman  who  followed  the  track  of 
the  beast.  But  venator  was  the  contemporary  designa- 
tion for  a  huntsman,  and  as  far  as  we  can  ascertain  the 
fewterer  was  always  merely  a  dog-leader. 

'  FORLONGE,  forloyng,  forlogne,  from  the  Fr.  fort 
loin.  G.  de  F.  says,  "flies  far  from  the  hounds,"  i.e. 
having  well  distanced  them  ("  Fuit  de  fort  longe  aux  chiens, 
c'est  a  dire  que  il  les  ait  bien  esloinhes  ").  Hounds  are  said 
to  be  hunting  the  forlonge  when  the  deer  is  some  way 
in  front  of  them,  or  when  some  of  the  hounds  have  got 
away  with  the  deer  and  have  outpaced  the  rest.  As  our 
MS.  (p.  173)  says,  the  forlogne  should  be  blown  if  the 
stag  has  run  out  of  hearing  of  hound  and  horn,  but  it 
should  not  be  blown  in  a  park.  In  old  French  hunt- 
ing literature  it  is  an  expression  one  constantly  comes 
across. 

Twici,  writing  almost  a  hundred  years  earlier  than 
the  Duke  of  York,  says  :  "  The  hart  is  moved  and  I  do 
not  know  where  the  hart  is  gone,  nor  the  gentlefolk,  and 
for  this  I  blow  in  that  manner.  What  chase  do  we  call 
this  ?     We  call  that  chase  The  chase  of  the  forloyng." 

Forloyneth  :  "  When  a  hound  meeteth  a  chase  and 
goeth  away  with  it  far  before  the  rest  then  we  say  he 
forloyneth"  (Turber.,  ed  161 1,  p.  245). 

FOX.  According  to  the  laws  of  Canute  the  fox  was 
neither  reckoned  as  a  beast  of  venery  nor  of  the  forest. 
In  Manwood's  Forest  Laws  he  is  classed  as  the  third 


APPENDIX  213 

beast  of  chase  (p.  161),  as  he  is  also  in  Twety  and 
Gyfford,  and  the  «  Boke  of  St.  Albans." 

Although  early  records  show  that  the  English  Kings 
kept  their  foxhounds,  we  hear  nothing  of  their  having 
participated  in  this  sport,  but  they  seem  to  have  sent 
their  hounds  and  huntsmen  about  the  country  to  kill 
foxes,  probably  as  much  for  the  value  of  the  pelt  as  for 
relieving  the  inhabitants  of  a  thievish  neighbour. 

In  Edward's  I.'s  Wardrobe  Accounts,  1 299-1 300,  ap- 
pear some  interesting  items  of  payments  made  to  the 
huntsman  for  his  wages  and  the  keep  of  the  hounds  and 
his  one  horse  for  carrying  the  nets.  These  allusions  to 
nets  throw  an  interesting  light  on  the  fox-hunting  of 
those  days.  William  de  Blatherwyke,  or,  as  he  is  also 
called,  William  de  Foxhunte,  and  William  Fox-dog-keeper^ 
had  besides  their  wages  an  allowance  made  to  them  for 
clothes  and  winter  and  summer  shoes  [see  Appendix  : 
Hunt  Officials).  As  only  one  horse  was  provided,  and 
that  to  carry  the  nets,  the  huntsman,  we  must  presume, 
had  to  hunt  on  foot,  not  such  an  arduous  undertaking 
when  we  remember  that  the  country  was  so  much  more 
thickly  wooded  than  at  present,  and  that  every  possible 
precaution  was  taken  to  prevent  Reynard's  breaking 
covert. 

We  see  by  our  text  (p.  65)  that  it  was  usual  to 
course  foxes  with  greyhounds,  and  although  the  passages 
referring  to  this  are  translated  from  G.  de  F.  we  know 
from  many  old  records  that  this  fox-coursing  was  as  usual 
in  England  at  this  time  as  in  France. 

In  the  earlier  days  hounds  used  for  the  chase  of  the 
fox  one  day,  probably  hunted  hare,  or  even  buck  or  stag, 
on  another — such  as  the  harriers,,  which,  if  we  can  be- 
lieve Dr.  Caius,  were  entered  to  any  animal  from  stag  to 
stoat  [see  Appendix  :  Harriers).  The  first  real  pack  of 
foxhounds  is  said  to  be  the  one  established  by  Thomas 
Fownes,  Esq.,  of  Stepleton,  in  Dorsetshire  (1730).  They 
were  purchased  at  an  immense  price  by  Mr.  Bowes,  of 
Yorkshire.     A    very    amusing    description    is    given   in 


2i4  APPENDIX 

"  Cranbourne  Chase  "  of  the  first  day's  hunting  with 
them  in  their  new  country.  There  must  have  been 
several  packs  entered  to  fox  only  about  the  end  of  the 
eighteenth  century, for  an  erstwhile  Master  of  the  Cheshire 
Foxhounds  had  in  his  possession  a  horn  with  the  follow- 
ing inscription  :  "Thomas  Boothby  Esqre.  Tooley  Park 
Leicester.  With  this  horn  he  hunted  the  first  pack  of 
foxhounds  then  in  England  5  years  :  born  in  1677  died 
1752."  This  pack,  which  was  purchased  by  "  the  great 
Mr.  Meynell  "  in  1782,  had  been  hunted  both  in  Hamp- 
shire and  in  Wiltshire  previously  by  the  ancestors  of  Lord 
Arundel  (Bad.  Lib.,  "  Hunting,"  p.  29). 

FRAYING-POST,  the  tree  a  stag  has  rubbed  his 
antlers  or  frayed  against. 

By  the  fraying-post  the  huntsman  used  to  be  able  to 
judge  if  the  stag  he  wished  to  harbour  was  a  warrantable 
stag  or  not.  The  greater  the  fraying-post  the  larger  the 
deer  (Stuart,  vol.  ii.  p.  551). 

FUES,  "  not  find  his  fues,"  not  to  find  his  line  of 
flight,  his  scent  ;  Gaston  says  :  "  Ne  puissent  deffaire  ses 
esteurses  "  :  literally,  "cannot  unravel  his  turnings." 

Fues,  flight,  fuite,  track.  Gaston  calls  these  sometimes 
voyes.     Voyes  was  written  later  Foyes  (Fouilloux). 

Fue.  "  Se  mettre  a  la  fue  "  (var./w/V),  (to  take  flight) 
(Borman,  p.  89). 

GLADNESS,  glade.  The  original  sense  is  a  smooth, 
bare  place,  or  perhaps  a  bright,  clear  place  in  a  wood. 

GREASE.  One  of  the  important  technical  terms  of 
venery,  related  to  the  fat  of  game  ;  for  in  the  Middle  Ages, 
when  game  was  hunted  to  replenish  the  larder  as  much  as 
for  sport,  it  entered  largely  into  the  economy  of  even  the 
highest  households.  The  fat  of  the  red  deer  and  fallow 
deer  was  called  suet,  occasionally  tallow.  That  of  the  roe- 
buck was  bevy-grease.     Between  that  of  the  hare,  boar, 


APPENDIX  215 

wolf,  fox,  marten,  otter,  badger,  and  coney  no  difference 
was  made — it  was  called  grease  ;  and  in  one  sense  this 
general  term  was  also  used  for  deer  :  "  a  deer  of  high 
grease,"  or  "  a  hart  in  the  pride  of  grease,"  were  phrases 
used  for  the  season  of  the  year  when  the  stag  and  the 
buck  were  fattest  (see  Appendix  :  Seasons  of  Hunting). 

GREASE  TIME,  not  Grace  Time  or  Grass  Time,  as 
Strutt  and  others  have  it.  It  did  not  include  the  whole 
season  when  the  hart  or  buck  could  be  killed,  but  meant 
to  indicate  the  time  when  they  were  fat  and  fittest  for 
killing.  As  pointed  out  already  by  Dryden  (p.  25),  the 
Excerpta  Historica  (Lond.  183 1)  contains  an  interesting 
example  of  the  use  of  this  word.  This  is  a  letter  written 
(p.  356)  about  1480  by  Thomas  Stonor,  Steward  of  the 
Manor  of  Thame.  He  was  in  Fleet  Prison  at  the  time 
he  writes  to  his  brother  in  the  country  concerning  some 
property  of  his  own  in  his  brother's  neighbourhood.  "  No 
more  to  youe  at  thys  tyme  but  .  .  .  more  ovr  I  entende 
to  kepe  my  gresse  tyme  in  yat  countre,  where  fore  I  wolle 
yat  no  mane  huntte  tylle  I  have  bene  ther." 

In  the  privy-purse  expenses  of  Henry  VIII.  (1532)  is 
an  entry  of  a  payment  for  attendance  on  the  king  during 
the  last grece-time.  Cavendish  in  his  Life  of  Wolsey  says  : 
"  My  lord  continued  at  Southwell  until  the  latter  end  of 
grease  time.''1  Both  these  passages  refer  to  the  month  of 
June.  In  the  laws  of  Howel  the  Good,  King  jf  Wales, 
a  fine  of  12  kine  was  imposed  on  whoever  kills  a  hart  in 
grease  time  (kylleic)  of  the  kings. 

Confusion  arose  occasionally  owing  to  the  similarity  of 
the  words  as  formerly  spelt,  grass  being  sometimes  spelt 
"  grysse  "  (Dryden,  p.  25).  Manwood,  also,  misinterprets 
Grease  time.  In  the  agreement  between  the  Earl  of 
Winchester  and  the  Baron  of  Dudley  of  1247,  m  wmcn 
their  respective  rights  of  hunting  in  Charnwood  Forest 
and  Bradgate  Park,  Leicestershire,  were  defined,  and  which 
agreement  Shirley  has  given  (in  a  translation)  in  his 
"  English  Deer  Parks,"  the  time  of  the  fallow  buck  season 


2i6  APPENDIX 

{tempus  pinguedinis)  or  grease  time  or  the  fat  season,  is 
fixed  between  the  Feast  of  St.  Peter  ad  Vincula  (August  i) 
and  the  Exaltation  of  Holy  Cross  (September  6,  14), 
while  the  time  of  the  doe  season  [tempus  firmationis)  was 
fixed  between  the  Feast  of  St.  Martin  (November  11) 
and  the  Purification  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  (February  2). 

GREYHOUND,  Fr.  lévrier,  Lat.  kporarius.  Under 
this  name  a  whole  group  of  dogs  were  included,  that  were 
used  for  the  chase  of  big  and  small  game.  They  were 
swift  hounds,  hunting  chiefly  and  in  most  cases  by  sight 
only.  For  in  the  Middle  Ages  the  name  greyhound,  or 
lévrier,  denoted  such  seemingly  different  dogs  as  the  im- 
mense Irish  wolfhound,  the  Scotch  deerhound,  and  the 
smaller,  smooth-coated,  elegant  Italian  greyhound.  The 
powerful  greyhound  used  for  the  chase  of  stag,  wolf,  and 
wild  boar  were  known  in  France  as  lévrier  d'attache^  and 
the  smaller,  nervous  harehound  as  petit  lévrier  pour  lièvre. 
In  our  illustrations  we  can  see  what  are  intended  to  be 
portraits  of  both  the  larger  and  the  smaller  kinds,  some 
being  smooth-  and  some  rough-coated.  The  bigger  hounds 
were  considered  capable  of  defending  their  masters  against 
their  armed  enemies,  as  is  shown  by  numerous  legends  of 
the  Middle  Ages,  which,  although  they  may  not  be  strictly 
historical  facts,  showed  the  reputation  these  dogs  enjoyed 
in  those  days  (Jesse,  p.  19). 

Greyhounds  were  the  constant  companions  of  their 
masters  during  journeys  and  wars,  and  at  home.  In  the 
houses  they  were  allowed  the  greatest  liberty,  and  seem 
to  have  ranged  at  will  in  both  living-  and  bedrooms  ;  one 
sees  them  at  the  board  when  their  owners  are  at  meals, 
at  the  fireside,  and  they  even  accompanied  their  masters 
as  good  Christians  to  mass. 

No  hound  seems  to  belong  so  peculiarly  to  the  epoch 
of  chivalry  as  the  greyhound,  and  indeed  one  can  scarcely 
picture  a  knight  without  one.  A  Welsh  proverb  declared 
that  a  gentleman  might  be  known  "  by  his  hawk,  his  horse, 
and  his  greyhound."     By  a  law  of  Canute,  a  greyhound 


APPENDIX  217 

was  not  to  be  kept  by  any  person  inferior  to  a  gentleman 
("  Greyhounds,"  by  a  Sportsman,  p.  28  ;  and  Dalziel, 
vol.  i.  p.  25). 

Cauls  Gallkus  was  the  name  used  by  the  Gauls  for  their 
coursing  dogs,  which  were  most  probably  greyhounds, 
and  Arian  says  they  were  called  Vertragia,  from  a  Celtic 
word  denoting  swiftness.  In  Gallo-Latin  the  name  for 
a  large  greyhound  was  Veltrahus  or  veltris  (De  Noir.,  ii. 
295).  They  were  also  called  Veltres  leporarii  (Blane, 
p.  46).  There  is  some  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the 
derivation  of  our  word  greyhound.  In  the  early  Anglo- 
Norman  days  they  retained  their  French  name  of  lévrier, 
or  Latin  leporarius.  When  our  MS.  was  penned  the 
English  word  grei,  gre,  or  grewhound  was  in  general  use  ; 
it  is  thought  by  some  to  be  derived  from  Grew  hound  or 
Greek  hound,  as  they  were  supposed  to  have  been  origi- 
nally brought  from  Greece.  Others,  again,  consider  that 
the  name  was  simply  taken  from  the  prevalent  colour  of 
the  common  greyhound.  Jesse  gives  the  most  likely 
origin  of  the  name.  a  Originally  it  was  most  likely 
grehund,  and  meant  the  noble,  great,  choice,  or  prize 
hound"  (Jesse,  ii.  71  ;  and  Dalziel,  i.  23).  Probably 
the  Celtic  denomination  for  a  dog,  grech  or  gregy  stands 
in  close  connection  with  our  word  greyhound  (Cupples, 
p.  230).  White  seems  to  have  been  the  favourite  colour, 
and  to  say  one  had  i  lévrier  plus  blanc  que  fl  ors  de  lis  {Heruis 
de  Mes,  107a,  44  ;  Bangert,  p.  172)  would  be  the  greatest 
tribute  to  the  beauty  of  one's  hound.  Co  si  sunt  deus 
leveres  nurit  en  ma  meisun,  curne  cisne  sunt  blauns  (Horn, 

613  f.). 

When  Froissart  went  home  from  Scotland  he  is  de- 
picted as  riding  a  grey  horse  and  leading  un  blanc  lévrier, 
perhaps  one  of  the  four  he  took  from  these  isles  and  pre- 
sented to  the  Comte  de  Foix  at  Orthéz,  whose  names 
have  been  preserved  to  us  as  Tristan,  Hector,  Brun,  and 
Rolland  (La  Curne  de  la  Palaye). 

Greyhounds  were  used,  as  has  already  been  mentioned, 
for  all  kind  of  hunting  and  every  kind  of  game,  in  con- 


2i8  APPENDIX 

junction  with  limers  who  started  the  game  for  them. 
They  were  let  slip  as  relays  to  a  pack  of  running  or 
scenting  hounds,  and  they  were  used  by  themselves  for 
coursing  game  in  an  open  country,  or  were  placed  at  the 
passes  where  game  was  likely  to  run  and  were  slipped  to 
turn  the  game  back  to  the  archer  or  to  chase  and  pull 
down  the  wounded  deer  (see  Appendix  :  Stables).  In  our 
illustrations  we  see  them  in  the  pictures  of  stag-,  hare-, 
roe-  and  boar-hunting,  to  say  nothing  of  badger-hunting, 
for  which  one  would  have  thought  any  other  dog  more 
suitable. 

They  seem  always  to  have  been  held  in  couples  except 
when  following  their  master  and  he  not  bent  upon  the 
chase.  The  collars  to  which  these  couplings  were  attached 
were  often  wonderful  gems  of  the  goldsmith's  and  silver- 
smith's art.  Such  an  item  appears  in  the  Q.  R.  Ward- 
robe Ace.  for  1400  (Wylie,  iv.  p.  196)  :  "2  collars  for 
greyhounds  (kverer)  le  tissue  white  and  green  with  letters 
and  silver  turrets."  Another  one  of  "  soy  chekerey  vert 
et  noir  avec  le  tret  (?  turret)  letters  and  bells  of  silver 

gin." 

The  ancient  doggerel  in  the  Book  of  St.  Albans, 
"  Heded  like  a  snake,  and  necked  like  a  drake.  Foted 
like  a  cat.  Tayled  like  a  Rat,  Syded  lyke  a  Teme. 
Chyned  like  a  Berne  "  ("  Boke  of  St.  Albans,"  f.  iv.),  was 
preceded  by  a  very  similar  one  written  some  time  pre- 
viously by  Gace  de  la  Buigne.  Of  these  verses  G.  de 
F.  gives,  twenty-eight  years  later,  a  prose  version,  which 
our  Master  of  Game  has  rendered  into  English. 

HARDEL,  hardeyl,  to  tie  couples  of  hounds  together. 
From  the  French  word  harder,  which  has  the  same  mean- 
ing :  Harder  les  chiens,  and  harde,  the  rope  with  which 
they  are  tied.  It  is  derived  from  hart,  hard,  art,  a  binder 
of  willow  or  other  pliable  wood  used  for  fastening  fagots 
together  (Lit.  and  God.).  The  primitive  way  of  tying 
hounds  together  was  by  passing  such  a  small  flexible 
branch  through  the  couplings  which  bent  back  on  itself, 


APPENDIX  219 

both  ends  being  held.  "  Les  chiens  .  .  .  seront  enhardez 
par  les  couples  à  genoivres  ou  à  autre  josne  bois  tors  "  (Roy 
Modus,  f.  xlvii.  recto).  In  France  there  used  to  be  two 
hardes  to  each  relay  and  not  more  than  eight  hounds  in 
every  harde  (D'Yauville).  In  England  there  used  to  be 
about  the  same  number.  The  term  was  still  used  in 
Blome's  time  (1686),  for  he  writes  in  his  "Gentleman's 
Recreation  "  :  "  The  huntsman  on  foot  that  hath  the 
charge  of  the  coupled  hounds,  and  before  that  must  have 
hardled  them,  that  is,  with  a  slip,  for  the  purpose  ready 
secured  three  or  four  couple  together,  that  they  may  not 
break  in  from  him,  to  run  into  the  cry  of  the  Finders  " 
(p.  88). 

Harling  was  a  word  used  in  Devonshire,  and  as  it 
meant  tying  the  hound  together  by  means  of  a  rope 
passed  through  the  rings  of  the  couples,  it  is  undoubtedly 
a  corruption  of  the  word  hardeling.  "  Until  compara- 
tively recent  times  the  hounds  in  Devonshire  were  taken 
to  the  meet  and  held  in  this  manner  until  the  time  came 
to  lay  the  pack  on  "  (Collyns). 

Hardel,  the  technical  O.  E.  term  for  binding  together 
the  four  legs  of  the  roebuck,  the  head  having  been  placed 
between  the  two  forelegs,  in  order  to  carry  him  whole 
into  the  kitchen. 

HARE.  Pliny  records  the  fable  that  hares  "are  of 
many  and  various  sexes."  Topsell  remarks  that  "  the 
Hebrews  call  the  hare  <arnebet,">  in  the  feminine  gender," 
which  word  gave  occasion  to  an  opinion  that  all  hares 
were  females  (pp.  264,  266). 

"In  the  Gwentian  code  of  Welch  laws  supposed  to  be 
of  the  eleventh  century,  the  hare  is  said  not  to  be  capable 
of  any  legal  valuation,  being  in  one  month  male  and  in 
another  female"  (Twici,  p.  22). 

Certainly  in  many  of  the  older  writings  on  hares  the 
pronouns  "her"  and  "him"  are  used  indiscriminately 
in  the  same  sentence.  Sir  Thomas  Browne  in  his  treatise 
on  vulgar  errors  asserts  from  his  own  observation  that 


22o  APPENDIX 

the  sex  of  the  hare  is  changeable,  and  that  the  buck  hare 
will  sometimes  give  birth  to  young.  Up  to  the  end  of 
the  eighteenth  century  there  was  a  widespread  and  firm 
belief  in  this  fable  (Brehm,  ii.  p.  626).  Buffon  describes 
it  as  one  of  the  animal's  peculiar  properties,  and  from  the 
structure  of  their  parts  of  generation  he  argues  that  the 
notion  has  arisen  of  hermaphrodite  hares,  that  the  males 
sometimes  bring  forth  young,  and  that  some  are  alternately 
males  and  females  and  perform  the  functions  of  either 
sex. 

"  Master  of  Game  "  (copying  G.  de  F.)  states  that 
the  hare  carries  her  young  for  a  period  of  two  months, 
but  in  reality  the  period  of  gestation  is  only  thirty  days. 
Harting  says  that  the  adult  hare  will  breed  twice  or 
thrice  in  the  year,  but  Brehm  declares  they  breed  as 
many  as  four  times,  and  but  seldom  five  times  (Encyclop. 
of  Sport,  vol.  ii.  p.  504  ;  Brehm,  vol.  ii.  p.  626  ;  G.  de 
F.  P.  47). 

G.  de  F.  (p.  43)  says  of  a  hare,  "  Elle  oït  bien,  mais  elle 
voit  mal."  "Master  of  Game"  translates  this  simply  as 
She  hath  evil  sight  ;  but  does  not  say  she  hears  well.  The 
sense  of  hearing  is  most  highly  developed  in  the  hare, 
and  every  lightly  breaking  twig  or  falling  leaf  will  dis- 
turb her.  It  is  said  that  of  old  when  warreners  wished 
to  prepare  hares  for  the  market  they  filled  their  ears  with 
wax,  so  that,  not  being  continually  disturbed  by  noises, 
they  did  not  move  about  much,  and  grew  sleek  and  fat 
(Blome,  p.  95).  G.  de  F.'s  assertion  that  the  hare  "has 
evil  sight  "  is  also  confirmed  by  Brehm,  who,  however, 
says  that  they  are  endowed  with  a  keen  sense  of  smell, 
whereas  G.  de  F.  says  elle  sent  pou. 

Attention  has  already  been  called  to  the  Duke  of 
York's  statement  that  "  the  hare  hath  great  fear  to  run." 
This  arose  probably  from  the  similarity  of  the  words 
peur  and  pouvoir  in  the  MSS.,  for  it  should  read  "  hath 
great  power  to  run,"  the  principal  MSS.  which  we  have 
examined  showing  pouvoir.  Verard  in  his  first  edition 
of  G.  de  F.  also  has  the  same  rendering  as  the  Duke  of 


i?       m 


APPENDIX  221 

York,  to  which  Lavallée  draws  attention  as  being  one 
of  the  many  ludicrous  mistakes  in  this  edition  (G. 
de  F.,  xli.). 

Our  text  calls  the  hare  the  most  marvellous  beast 
(p.  181),  the  reasons  given  being  because  she  "  fumeth 
or  croteth  and  rowngeth  and  beareth  tallow  and  grease." 
By  "  rowngeth  "  (Fr.  ronger)  it  was  meant  that  the  hare 
chewed  the  cud,  as  by  the  ancients  it  was  generally  sup- 
posed that  the  hare  was  a  ruminant.  Although  this  is 
not  the  case,  and  the  hare  has  not  a  compound  stomach, 
nevertheless  this  belief  showed  a  close  observation  of 
nature,  for  when  a  hare  is  seated  she  can  bring  up  parts 
of  her  food  and  give  it  a  second  mastication. 

The  hare  and  rabbit  have  little  or  no  fat,  but  what 
they  do  possess  is  called  grease.  Twici  says  :  //  porte 
gresce  (pp.  I  and  21). 

"  She  has  teeth  above  in  the  same  wise  as  beneath  " 
(p.  181)  is  another  of  the  peculiarities  noticed  in  our  text, 
which  shows  that  the  difference  in  dentition  that  dis- 
tinguishes the  hare  from  all  other  rodents  had  been  re- 
marked. Instead  of  two  incisors  in  the  upper  jaw,  the 
hare  has  four,  having  two  small  rudimentary  incisor  teeth 
behind  the  two  large  front  ones,  and  five  or  six  molars 
in  the  upper  jaw,  with  two  incisors  and  five  molars  in  the 
lower  jaw  (Brehm,  ii.  p.  627  ;  Cornish,  "  Shooting,"  ii. 

P-  153)-   . 

It  is  difficult  to  know  why  the  hare  was  considered  a 
"  melancholy  "  beast,  and  how  this  curious  reputation 
was  kept  up  during  the  whole  of  the  Middle  Ages. 
It  was  thought  that  eating  the  flesh  of  the  hare  rendered 
one  also  subject  to  melancholy.  G.  de  F.  does  not 
mention  this,  and  altogether  his  book  is  comparatively 
free  of  such  superstitions,  but  he  says  the  flesh  of  the 
hare  should  not  be  given  to  the  hounds  after  a  day's 
hunting,  as  it  is  indigestible  :  quar  elle  est  fastieuse  viande 
et  les  f et  vomir  (p.  210).  Therefore,  when  rewarding  the 
hounds,  they  should  only  have  the  tongue  and  the  kidneys, 
with  some  bread  soaked  in  the  blood  of  the  hare. 


222  APPENDIX 

In  our  MS.,  at  the  end  of  the  chapter  on  the  nature 
of  the  hare  (p.  22),  the  Duke  of  York  says  that  he 
"trows  no  good  hunter  would  slee  them  so,"  alluding  to 
pockets,  pursenets,  and  other  poaching  devices  ;  and 
although  G.  de  F.  gives  six  ways  of  taking  the  hare,  he 
does  not  approve  of  such  methods  for  the  true  sportsman, 
but  enters  an  amusing  protest  :  "  I  would  that  they  who 
take  hares  thus  should  have  them  [the  cords]  round  their 
own  necks"  (p.  171).  Snaring  hares  was  never  con- 
sidered legitimate  sport.  In  hare-hunting  proper,  the 
hounds  were  taken  into  the  fields  to  find  the  hare,  as  at 
present  ;  or  hare-finders  were  sent  out  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  the  tufts  of  grass  or  plants  where  the  hare  was 
likely  to  be  seated  were  beaten,  and  the  hounds  uncoupled 
only  when  the  hare  was  started.  One  of  the  chief  differ- 
ences in  the  sport  between  then  and  now  was  that  often, 
when  the  hare  was  once  on  foot,  greyhounds  were  also 
uncoupled,  and  our  Plate,  p.  182,  shows  greyhounds  and 
running-hounds  hunting  seemingly  happily  together.  It 
must  have  been  rather  discouraging  for  the  old-fashioned, 
slow  scenting-hound  to  have  the  hare  he  has  been  dili- 
gently hunting  suddenly  "  bitten  "  in  front  of  him  by 
the  swifter  greyhound.  Trencher-fed  packs  also  existed 
as  early  as  the  fourteenth  century,  and  we  read  in  Gace 
de  la  Buigne  that  the  small  farmers  would  assemble  to- 
gether, bringing  all  told  some  forty  hounds  of  different 
breeds  and  sizes,  immensely  enjoying  their  sport,  and 
accounting  for  many  hares. 

HARNESS  means  in  our  text  "  paraphernalia  where- 
with animals  can  be  caught  or  taken."  It  is  frequently 
used  in  this  sense  by  Gaston — Hayes  et  autres  Harnoys 
(p.  126).  In  Julien's  note  to  this  same  sentence  occur- 
ring in  Le  bon  Variety  he  says,  autres  harnois,  autres  engins, 
instruments,  procèdes. 

HARRIER,  spelt  in  early  documents  with  many  varia- 
tions— eirere,  heyreres,  heyrer,  hayrers.     A  hound   which 


APPENDIX  223 

is  described  in  modern  dictionaries  as  "  resembling  a  fox- 
hound but  smaller,  used  for  hare-hunting"  (Murray). 
This  explanation  would  not  have  been  a  correct  one  for 
our  harriers  of  the  fourteenth  century,  for  as  far  as  we 
can  gather  they  were  used  to  hunt  all  kinds  of  game  and 
by  no  means  only  the  hare.  They  were  evidently  a 
smaller  kind  of  running  hound,  for  as  our  MS.  says,  there 
are  some  small  and  some  large  running  hounds,  "  and  the 
small  are  called  Kenettis  (or  small  dogs — see  Kenet),  and 
these  hounds  run  well  to  all  manner  of  game  and  they 
that  serve  for  all  game  men  call  them  heirers"  (p.  in). 
And  in  chapter  36  we  see  that  heyrers  were  used  to  hunt 
up  the  deer  in  the  forest,  the  herthounds  and  greyhounds 
meanwhile  being  held  in  leash  till  a  warrantable  deer  was 
on  foot,  or  till  "  the  heyrer  have  well  run  and  well  made 
the  rascal  void  "  (made  the  smaller  deer  clear  out  of  that 
part  of  the  forest)  (p.  191).  Then  the  herthounds  were 
to  be  uncoupled  where  the  most  likely  "ligging  is  for  an 
hert,  and  seek."  The  herthounds  then  put  up  the  wary 
old  stag  and  hunted  him  till  he  came  to  the  tryst  where 
the  King  would  be  with  his  long  bow  or  cross-bow,  or 
till  the  hert  was  pulled  down  by  them  or  the  greyhounds 
which  had  been  slipped  at  him. 

In  the  chapter  on  hare-hunting  in  our  MS.  the  word 
harrier  does  not  occur  ;  only  hounds,  greyhounds,  and 
raches  are  mentioned.  So  when  Henry  IV.  paid  for  "  La 
garde  de  nos  chiens  appelez  hayrers  "  (Privy  Seal,  20  Aug. 
9th  Henry,  1408,  No.  5874),  or  Henry  V.  for  the  "  Cus- 
todlam  Canum  nostrum  vocatorum  hayreres  "  (Rot.  Pat.  1 
Henry  V.  1413),  it  was  not  because  they  were  especially 
addicted  to  hare-hunting,  but  because  they  kept  these 
useful  hounds  to  "  harry  "  game. 

In  1407  we  find  one  Hugh  Malgrave  u  servient!  vena- 
tor?  vocat9  hayters  />'  c'vo  (cervo),  which  we  may  accept 
as  another  proof  that  their  office  was  to  hunt  the  stag. 
The  Duke  of  York  also  repeatedly  says  that  "  heirers  " 
run  at  all  game  (see  pp.  in,  196,  197).  In  1423  Hugh 
Malgrave  still  held  the  "office  of  the  hayrers"  by  grant 


224  APPENDIX 

from  Henry  IV.  In  the  curious  legal  Latin  of  the 
thirteenth  century,  we  find  the  word  canes  heirettes,  and 
heyrettor  (Wardrobe  Accounts,  34  Ed.  I.). 

There  are  a  great  number  of  early  records  which  show 
us  that  these  hounds  were  used  then  for  hunting  red  and 
fallow  deer,  sometimes  in  conjunction  with  greyhounds 
and  sometimes  without  their  aid. 

Harriers  were  sometimes  taken  with  buckhounds  on 
hunting  expeditions  as  well  as  with  greyhounds.  In 
some  of  the  documents  harriers  are  simply  alluded  to  as 
canes  currentes.  As  they  were  not  a  distinct  breed,  but 
were  included  under  the  designation  "  raches,"  or  running 
hounds,  a  separate  chapter  is  not  given  to  them  in  our 
text,  and  neither  Twici,  nor  the  Dame  of  St.  Albans 
mentions  these  hounds.  Gradually  we  find  the  spelling, 
although  presenting  still  countless  variations,  bringing  the 
a  more  constantly  than  the  e;  the  "heirers"  become 
hayrers,  hareres,  hariers,  and  after  the  sixteenth  century 
harriers.  It  is  also  probable  that  the  word  was  originally 
derived  from  the  Anglo-Saxon  Hergian,  herian,  to  harry, 
to  disturb,  to  worry  ;  O.  Fr.  harrier,  herrier,  herier,  to 
harry  ;  F.  hare  and  harer,  to  set  a  dog  on  to  attack. 
The  harrier,  in  fact,  was  a  dog  to  "  hare  "  the  game. 
Although  now  obsolete,  we  find  this  word  used  late  in 
the  seventeenth  century. 

"  Let  the  hounds  kill  the  fox  themselves  and  worry  and 
hare  him  as  much  as  they  please  "  (Cox,  "  Gent.  Rec," 
p.  no).  It  is  also  in  the  sixteenth  century  that  one 
comes  across  the  first  allusions  to  their  use  in  hunting 
the  hare. 

HART.  It  is  not  necessary  to  dwell  here  at  length 
upon  the  great  esteem  in  which  the  hart  was  held  by  all 
devotees  to  sport  in  Europe  during  the  Middle  Ages.  It 
was  royal  game,  and  belonged  to  the  Prince  or  ruler  of 
the  country,  and  the  chase  was  their  prerogative.  Few 
unconnected  with  the  court  were  ever  able  to  enjoy  the 
chase  of  the  stag  unless  in  attendance  on  or  by  special 


APPENDIX  225 

licence  granted  by  the  sovereign.  Those  who  had  ex- 
tensive property  of  their  own  and  had  permission  to  erect 
a  fence  could,  of  course,  keep  deer  on  it,  but  this  did  not 
enable  them  to  enjoy  the  sport  of  real  wild  deer  hunting, 
or  La  chasse  Royale  as  the  French  called  it. 

The  stag  was  one  of  the  five  beasts  of  venery,  and 
was,  according  to  the  ancient  French  regulations,  a  beast 
of  the  sweet  foot,  although  in  the  list  of  beasts  of  sweet 
and  stinking  foot  given  in  the  "  Boke  of  St.  Albans  "  the 
hart  is  included  in  neither  category  [see  Appendix  : 
Fewte). 

One  of  the  first  essentials  for  a  huntsman  in  the  Middle 
Ages  was  to  learn  to  know  the  different  signs  of  a  stag 
(according  to  German  venery  there  were  seventy-two 
signs),  so  as  to  be  able  to  "judge  well."  These  signs 
were  those  of  the  slot,  the  gait,  the  fraying-post,  the  rack 
or  entry  (i.e.  the  place  where  the  stag  entered  covert), 
and  the  fumes.  By  recognising  differences  in  these  signs 
made  by  a  young  stag,  a  hind,  and  a  warrantable  stag,  he 
was  enabled  to  find  out  where  the  latter  was  harbouring, 
and  by  the  slot  and  gait  he  could  recognise  when  the 
chased  stag  was  approaching  his  end. 

There  were  many  things  that  the  huntsman  of  old 
had  to  learn  regarding  the  stag  before  he  could  be  con- 
sidered as  more  than  an  apprentice — for  instance,  how  to 
speak  of  a  hart  in  terms  of  venery.  The  terms  used 
were  considered  of  the  greatest  importance,  even  to  the 
manner  in  which  the  colour  of  the  stag  was  spoken  of, 
brown,  yellow,  or  dun  being  the  only  permissible  terms 
to  distinguish  the  shade  of  colour.  Special  terms  are 
given  for  every  kind  of  head,  or  antlers,  a  stag  might  bear. 

The  huntsman  spoke  of  the  stag's  blenches  and  ruses 
when  alluding  to  the  tricks  of  a  deer  when  trying  to  rid 
himself  of  the  hounds,  of  his  doubling  and  rusing  to  and  fro 
upon  himself  when  he  retraced  his  steps,  of  his  beating  up 
the  river  when  he  swam  up-stream,  and  of  foiling  down, 
when  he  went  down-stream,  or  of  going  to  soil  when  he 
stood  in  water.     When  the  deer  lay  down  he  was  quat, 

P 


2  26  APPENDIX 

when  he  stood  still  in  covert  he  was  stalling.  When  he 
was  tired  he  "cast  his  chaule"  i.e.  drooped  his  head,  a 
well-known  sign  when  the  deer  is  done,  as  was  his  closed 
mouth  when  dead  beat. 

The  hart  was  meved  or  moved,  when  he  was  started 
from  his  resting-place  ;  he  was  quested  or  hunted  for,  and 
sued  or  chased  ;  his  resting-place  was  called  his  ligging  or 
lairy  his  scent  of  line  of  flight,  his  fues.  He  was  spoken 
of  as  soule  or  soile  (F.  seule)  if  unaccompanied  by  other 
deer,  and  in  "herd  with  rascal  and  folly"  if  keeping  com- 
pany with  lesser  deer. 

Besides  many  other  quaint  terms  of  venery  the  follow- 
ing were  the  designations  given  to  the  hart  according  to 
his  age  by  : — 

Twici,  "  Boke  of  St.  Blome  ;  Cox's 

"  Master  of  Game."         Albans,"  Man  wood,  "  Gentleman's 

Turbervile.  Recreations." 

1st     yr.   A  calf.  A  calf.  A  hinde-calf  or  calf. 

2nd    ,,     A  bullock.  A  brocket.  A  knobler  or  knobber. 

3rd    ,,     A  brocket.  A  spayer,  spayard,  or  A  brocket  or  brocke. 

spayd. 

4th     ,,     A  staggart.         A  staggart  or  stag.  A  staggard. 

5th    „     A  hart  of  ten.     A  hart.  A  hart. 

Until  he  was  a  hart  of  ten  our  text  tells  us  he  was  not 
considered  a  chaseable  or  warrantable  deer.  By  the 
above  one  will  see  that  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  is  excep- 
tional in  calling  a  deer  of  the  second  year  a  bullock, 
brocket  being  the  usual  term. 

In  old  French  literature  we  occasionally  find  the  word 
broches  used  for  the  tines  of  a  deer's  antlers  ;  brochet 
would  be  the  diminutive,  i.e.  a  small  tine,  and  hence 
perhaps  brocket,  a  young  stag  bearing  small  tines.  Any 
stag  of  ten  or  over  if  hunted  by  the  king  became  a  Hart 
Royal,  and  if  hunted  and  not  taken,  but  driven  out  of 
the  forest,  a  proclamation  was  made  to  warn  every  one 
that  no  person  should  chase  or  kill  the  said  hart,  and  he 
was  then  a  "  Hart  Royal  proclaimed  "  (Man.,  p.  180). 

All  stags  not  chaseable,  such  as  young  or  lean  stags 
and  hinds,  were  classed  as  folly  or  rascal. 


APPENDIX  227 

A  young  stag  accompanying  an  oid  one  was  called  his 
squire  (F.  escuyer). 

Hinds  also  were  called  by  different  names  from  the 
first  to  the  third  year,  but  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  does 
not  give  these,  nor  do  any  of  the  earliest  works.  Man- 
wood,  Blome,  and  Cox  give  the  following  terms  :  first 
year,  a  calf  ;  second  year,  a  Hearse  or  brocket's  sister  ; 
third  year  and  ever  after,  a  hind.  A  somewhat  similar 
term  was  employed  in  France  to  denote  a  young  stag 
between  six  months  and  a  year  old.  Haire,  also  spelt  her 
(G.  de  Champgrand  Baudrillard),  and  Harpailley  was  the 
term  for  a  herd  of  young  stags  and  hinds. 

Hart's  Age. — The  fable  that  a  stag  can  live  a  hundred 
years  which  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  repeats  (p.  34)  after 
G.  de  F.  was  not  of  the  latter's  invention,  but  one  that 
had  been  current  for  many  centuries  before  their  day. 

HORNS. — When  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  was  written 
hunting  horns  were  the  curved  primitive  shape  of  those 
made  from  the  horns  of  animals,  and  most  of  them  pro- 
bably were  still  made  of  the  horns  of  cattle,  while  those 
used  by  the  richer  gentry  and  nobles  were  fashioned 
from  some  rarer  animals'  trophy,  such  as  the  ibex,  or 
carved  of  ivory,  and  some  were  made  of  precious  metal. 
But  whether  of  simple  horn,  ivory,  or  of  wood,  they 
were  decorated  with  gold  or  silver  ferrules,  rings,  and 
mouthpieces,  and  some  being  provided  with  a  stopper, 
could  be  converted  into  drinking  horns.  Unfortunately 
the  "  Master  of  Game  "  does  not  tell  us  the  material  of 
which  horns  should  be  made.  He  simply  says  how  they 
should  "  be  dryve."  They  were  to  be  two  spans  long 
(1  ft.  6  in.),  slightly  curved  so  that  both  ends  were 
raised  from  three  to  four  fingers'  breadth  above  the 
centre  ;  the  larger  end  or  the  bell  was  to  be  as  wide  as 
possible,  and  the  mouthpiece  not  too  small.  It  was 
waxed  thickly  or  thinly,  whichever  the  huntsman  thought 
produced  the  best  sound.  What  effect  the  wax  had  can 
scarcely  be  judged,  but  it  was  evidently  considered  an 


228  APPENDIX 

improvement,  as  it  is  stated  that  for  foresters  "  mené 
homes  and  unwexid  "  are  good  enough  for  them.  Be- 
sides the  hunter's  horn  five  different  kinds  of  horns  are 
mentioned  in  our  MS. — the  bugle,  great  abbots,  ruets, 
small  foresters,  and  mean  horns.  The  bugle  was  not 
the  trumpet  we  now  understand  by  that  name,  but  a 
simple  curved  horn,  most  probably  deriving  its  name 
from  the  bugle,  as  the  wild  ox  was  called  ;  although 
Dryden  says  from  the  German  word  hugely  a  curve  or 
bend.  Ruets  may  have  been  the  name  for  a  much  curved 
or  almost  circular  horn,  from  French  rouette,  small  wheel. 
The  mean  horns  were  probably  the  medium-sized,  shrill- 
sounding  horns  made  out  of  wood  or  bark,  known  as 
minuehy  menuiauxy  moienely  meniùery  &c.  (Perc.  27,166 
and  27,140). 

A  good  length  for  a  horn  is  mentioned  as  being  "  une 
paume  et  demie"  (Perceval,  31,750).  It  is  uncertain 
whether  this  length  and  that  given  by  the  "  Master  of 
Game  "  were  measured  round  the  inside  of  the  bend  or 
in  a  straight  line  between  the  two  extremities.  The 
famous  Borstall   horn,  also  known   as  Nigel's   horn,  is 

2  feet  4  inches  long  on  the  convex  and  23  inches  on  the 
concave  bend  ;  the  inside  measure  of  the  bell  end  being 

3  inches  in  diameter.  The  size  of  another  noted  horn, 
i.e.  the  Pusey  horn,  is  2  feet  \  inch  long,  the  circum- 
ference at  the  widest  end  being  12  inches.  The  general 
length  of  these  horns  seems  to  have  been  somewhere 
between  18  inches  and  2  feet.  The  above-mentioned 
specimens  were  horns  of  tenure,  the  first  being  a  hunt- 
ing-, the  second  a  drinking-horn.  The  Borstall  horn 
is  said  to  have  been  given  by  Edward  the  Confessor  to 
one  Nigel,  in  reward  for  his  killing  an  immense  wild 
boar,  and  by  this  horn  he  and  his  successors  for  genera- 
tions held  lands  of  the  crown. 

The  curved  horn  remained  in  fashion  in  England 
till  about  the  latter  half  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
then  a  straight  one  came  into  use  about  1  ft.  6  in.  to 
2  ft.  long,  such  as  we  see  depicted  in  Blome.     Of  this 


APPENDIX  229 

shape,  but  a  few  inches  shorter,  is  the  hunting-horn  still 
in  use  in  England.  The  French  hunting-horn  was  used 
in  England  in  the  eighteenth  century,  but  did  not  remain 
long  in  fashion. 

HUNTING  CRIES.  We  can  see  that  the  hunting 
cries  and  the  language  used  in  speaking  to  the  hounds 
when  hunting  in  the  days  of  the  "Master  of  Game" 
were  still  those  brought  into  Britain  by  the  Normans, 
and  in  most  instances  the  words  can  actually  still  be 
recognised  as  French.  There  are  only  a  few  ex- 
amples given  by  him  as  to  the  manner  a  huntsman 
should  speak  to  his  hounds  in  the  stag-hunting  chapters, 
such  as  : — 

Ho  moy,  ho  moy,  hole,  hole,  hole  :  To  encourage  the 
limer  when  drawing  for  a  stag  (p.  166). 

Cy  va,  cy  va,  cy  va  :  To  call  the  hounds  when  any 
signs  of  the  stag  were  seen  (p.  167). 

Le  douce  mon  amy,  le  douce  :  "  Softly,  my  friend,  softly." 
To  the  hounds  when  they  were  uncoupled  near  to  where 
the  stag  was  supposed  to  be  lying. 

Sto  arere,  so  howe,  so  howe  :  "  Hark  back,"  if  the 
hounds  were  on  a  wrong  scent. 

Hoo  sto,  ho  sto,  mon  amy,  ho  sto  :  To  harriers  drawing 
for  a  stag. 

Oyez,  a  Beaumont,  oyez,  assemble  à  Beaumont  :  "  Hark 
to  Beaumont,  hark,  get  to  him."  To  the  hound  of 
that  name  who  picks  up  the  right  line,  and  to  bring 
the  other  hounds  to  him. 

It  is  in  the  hare-hunting  chapter  that  we  have  more 
of  the  "  fayre  wordis  of  venery,"  and  here,  if  the  "  Master 
of  Game  "  does  not  slavishly  copy  Twici,  yet  he  employs 
the  same  cries,  with  a  slight  difference  only  in  ortho- 
graphy. The  "  Boke  of  St.  Albans  "  has  also  most  of  the 
following  : — 

Hoo  arere  :  "  Back  there."  When  the  hounds  come 
too  hastily  out  of  the  kennel. 

So  moun  amy  atreyt  :  Until  they  come  into  the  field  ; 


23o  APPENDIX 

these  two  are  not  given  by  Twici,  but  the  following 
are  identical  in  both  books  : — 

Hors  de  couple,  avaunt  sy  avaunt,  and  thrice  so  howe  : 
When  the  hounds  are  uncoupled. 

Sa  sa  cy  avaunt,  cy  sa  avaient,  sa  cy  avaunt  (avaunt, 
sire,  avaunt,  in  Twici)  :  Forward,  sir,  forward. 

Here  how,  amy,  how  amy,  and  Swef,  mon  amy,  swef  : 
"  Gently,  my  friend,  gently  "  {swef,  from  Latin  swavis), 
when  the  hounds  draw  too  fast  from  the  hunts- 
man. 

Oyez,  à  Beaumont  (in  Twici  :  Oyez,  a  Beaumont  le 
vaillaunt  que  il  quide  trover  le  coward  od  la  courte  cowe)  : 
"  Hark  to  Beaumont  the  valiant,  who  thinks  to  find 
the  coward  with  the  short  tail." 

La  douce,  la  il  ad  este  sohowe  :  "  Softly,  there — here 
he  has  been,"  if  the  place  where  the  hare  has  pastured 
is  seen. 

Illoeques,  illoeques  :  "  Here,  here,"  if  the  hounds  hunt 
well  on  the  line  (see  Appendix  :  Illoeques). 

Ha  sy  toutz,  cy  est  il  venuz  arere,  so  howe.  Sa  cy  a  este 
so  howe.  Sa  cy  avaunt  :  "  Here,  he  has  gone  back. 
Here  he  has  been.  Forward  there."  When  the  hare 
has  doubled. 

La  douce  amy,  il  est  venuz  illoeques,  sohowe  :  "  Softly, 
friend,  he  is  here."  When  the  hounds  hunt  well  in 
fields  or  arable  land. 

La  douce,  amy,  la  est  il  venuz  [pur  lue  segere  sohow)  : 
"Softly,  friend,  here  he  has  come  to  seat  himself" 
(Mid.  Eng.,  sege — a  seat.     Latin,  sedere). 

La  douce,  amy,  la  il  est  venuz  {pur  meyndir)  :  "  Here 
he  has  been  to  feed  "  (meyndir,  from  Latin  manducare, 
mander  e). 

The  bracketed  part  of  the  last  two  cries  are  given  in 
the  MS.  of  Twety  and  Gyff.,  and  the  following  are 
only  in  the  "Master  of  Game  "  : — 

Le  valliant  oyez,  oyez  who  bo  bowe,  and  then,  Avaunt, 
assemble,  assemble,  war  war,  a  ha  war,  for  running  riot. 
How  assamy  assamy  so  arere  so  howe  bloues  acoupler. 


APPENDIX  231 

On  seeing  the  pricking  or  footing  of  the  hare  :  Le 
voyey  le  voye  ("  The  view,  the  view  "). 

In  France,  Tallyho^  or  a  very  similar  sounding  word, 
was  employed  in  the  early  days  when  the  huntsman 
was  sure  that  the  right  stag  had  gone  away,  whether  he 
only  knew  it  by  his  slot,  &c,  or  whether  he  had  viewed 
him. 

It  was  also  a  call  to  bring  up  the  hounds  when  the  stag 
had  gone  away,  and  at  the  end  of  the  cureey  when  the 
huntsman  held  part  of  the  entrails  of  the  deer  on  a  large 
wooden  fork,  and  the  hounds  bayed  it  (which  was  called 
the  firhujy  the  huntsman  called  out  Tally  ho. 

We  only  find  Tallyho  in  comparatively  recent  Eng- 
lish hunting  literature  and  songs — never,  so  far  as  I  am 
aware,  before  the  late  seventeenth  century,  and  it  does 
not  occur  at  all  constantly  until  the  eighteenth  century. 
Neither  Turbervile  nor  Blome  nor  Cox,  in  their  books  on 
the  various  chases,  mention  such  a  word,  though  we  find 
instruction  to  the  huntsman  to  say  "Hark  to  him,"  "Hark 
forward,"  "Hark  back,"  and  "To  him,  to  him";  besides 
the  inevitable  "So  how  sohow."  Neither  in  Twici, 
"  Master  of  Game,"  "  Boke  of  St.  Albans,"  Chaucer,  or 
Shakespeare  can  we  find  an  invigorating  Tallyho.  It 
would  almost  appear  as  if  it  were  a  seventeenth  century 
importation  from  across  the  Channel,  which  is  quite 
possible,  for  Henry  IV.  of  France  sent  in  that  century 
three  of  his  best  huntsmen,  Desprez,  de  Beaumont,  and 
de  Saint-Ravy,  to  the  Court  of  King  James  I.  to  teach 
the  royal  huntsmen  how  to  hunt  the  stag  in  the  French 
way,  English  Court  hunting  having  degenerated  into 
coursing  of  stags  within  the  park  palings. 

Taïaut  in  France  was  used  solely  in  the  chase  of  red, 
fallow,  or  roe  deer. 

HUNTING  MUSIC.  In  the  "  Master  of  Game," 
as  in  all  the  earliest  hunting  literature,  much  importance 
is  placed  on  the  huntsman's  sounding  his  horn  in  the 
proper  manner  in  order,  as  Twici  says,  that  "  Each  man 


2  32  APPENDIX 

who  is  around  you,  who  understands  Hunting,  can  know 
in  which  point  you  are  in  your  sport  by  your  blowing." 
The  author  of  "Master  of  Game  "  (p.  170)  says  he  will 
give  us  "a  chapter  which  is  all  of  blowing,"  but  he 
omitted  to  fulfil  this  promise,  so  that  we  have  only  such 
information  as  we  can  gather  in  his  chapters  on  stag 
and  hare-hunting.  The  differences  in  the  signals  were 
occasioned  by  the  length  of  the  sound  or  note,  and  the 
intervals  between  each.  Twici  expresses  these  notes  in 
syllables,  such  as  trout,  trout,  trourourout.  The  first  of 
these  would  be  single  notes,  with  an  interval  between 
them,  blown  probably  with  a  separate  breath  or  wind  for 
each  ;  the  latter  would  be  three  notes  blown  without 
interval  and  with  a  single  breath  or  wind.  The  principal 
sounds  on  the  hunting  horn  were  named  as  follows  : — 

A  Moot  or  Mote,  a  single  note,  which  might  be 
sounded  long  or  short. 

A  Recheat.  To  recheat,  Twici  says,  "  blow  in  this 
manner,  tr  our  our  our  out,  tr  our  our  our  out,  tr  our  our  our  out" 
therefore  a  four-syllabled  sound  succeeded  by  an  interval, 
blown  three  times.  In  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  we  find 
the  recheat  preceded  or  followed  by  a  moot,  the  most 
constantly  recurring  melody.  When  the  limer  has 
moved  the  stag,  and  the  huntsman  sees  him  go  away,  he 
was  to  blow  a  moot  and  recheat.  If  the  stag  is  moved 
but  not  viewed,  and  the  huntsman  knows  only  by  the  slot 
that  it  is  his  stag  that  has  gone  away,  he  is  to  recheat 
without  the  moot,  for  that  was  only  to  be  blown  when 
the  stag  was  seen.  When  the  hounds  are  at  fault  and 
any  one  finds  the  slot  of  the  deer,  he  should  recheat  "  in 
the  rightes  and  blow  a  long  moot  for  the  lymerer,"  or  if 
he  thinks  he  sees  the  hunted  stag,  he  should  blow  a  moot 
and  recheat,  and  after  that  blow  two  moots  for  the 
hounds. 

The  Forlonge.  A  signal  that  the  stag  had  got  away 
far  ahead  of  the  hounds  or  that  these  had  distanced  some 
or  all  of  the  huntsmen  [see  Appendix  :  Forlonge). 

The  Perfect  or  Parfit.     Twici  says  it  began   by  "  a 


APPENDIX  233 

moot  and  then  trourourout,  trout,  trout,  trourourout, 
trourourout,  trourourout,  trout,  trout,  tr  our  our  our  out"  "  and 
then  to  commence  by  another  moot  again,  and  so  you 
ought  to  blow  three  times.  And  to  commence  by  a 
moot  and  to  finish  by  a  moot."  This  was  only  blown 
when  the  hounds  were  hunting  the  right  line  (see  Ap- 
pendix :   Parfet). 

The  Prise.  Twici  says,  blow  four  moots  for  the  tak- 
ing of  the  deer.  According  to  the  "  Master  of  Game," 
"the  prise  or  coupling  up"  was  to  be  blown  by  the  chief 
personage  of  the  hunt  only,  after  the  quarry.  It  was 
only  blown  when  the  deer  had  been  slain  by  strength, 
or  hunted,  and  not  when  shot  or  coursed.  He  was  to 
blow  four  moots,  wait  a  short  interval  (half  an  Ave 
Maria),  and  blow  another  four  notes  a  little  longer  than 
the  first  four. 

The  Menée.  Twici  says  the  Menée  should  only  be 
blown  for  the  hart,  the  boar,  the  wolf,  and  the  male 
wolf,  but  he  does  not  give  us  any  analysis  of  this  melody. 
In  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  we  are  told  that  the  Menée 
was  blown  at  the  hall-door  on  the  return  of  the  hunts- 
men. The  Master  first  blew  four  moots  alone,  then  at 
the  end  of  the  four  moots  the  others  joined  him  in  blow- 
ing, and  they  all  continued  keeping  time  together  (see 
Appendix  :  Menée). 

The  Mort  or  Death  was  another  sound  of  the  horn, 
but  we  have  no  description  of  the  notes.  Perhaps  it  is 
synonymous  with  the  Prise. 

The  Stroke  must  have  been  another  grouping  of  short 
and  long  notes,  but  of  this  we  have  no  record. 

Hardouin  de  Fontaines  Guerin  wrote  a  poem  on  the 
chase  chiefly  concerning  the  different  manners  of  blowing 
such  as  obtained  in  his  native  country  the  provinces  of 
Anjou  and  Maine.  The  poem  was  illustrated  with  four- 
teen miniatures  showing  the  notes  to  be  blown  on  as  many 
différent  occasions  during  stag-hunting. 

The  notes  are  written  in  little  squares  :  D  denoting  a 
long  note  ;  P|  a  short  note  ;    HH   a   note  of  two   long 


234 


APPENDIX 


syllables;  55  a  note  of  two  short  syllables;  B3DD  a 
note  of  one  short  and  two  long  syllables  ;  and  «  »  bm  a 
note  of  one  short,  two  long,  and  two  short  syllables.  Of 
these  six  notes  combinations  were  made  for  all  the  signals 
to  be  blown. 

ILLOEQUES,  "here  in  this  place,"  from  the  L.  ilk 
loco.     Sometimes  it  is  spelt  illecques,  iluecy  Mosques,  Sec.     It 


From  Hardouin  de  Fontaines  Guerin's  Work, 
written  in  i394 

is  constantly  met  with  in  Anglo-Norman,  and  the  Pro- 
vence dialects  (Botman,  pp.  90,  242  ;  T.  M.,  pp.  31, 
93,  142  ;  Roy  Modus,  lxix.  ;  and  in  the  will  of  the 
Duke  of  York,  Nichols).  It  has  been  suggested  that  it 
is  the  origin  of  the  familiar  yolcks.  In  the  "  Boke  of  St. 
Albans  "  in  the  verses  on  hare-hunting;  it  also  occurs. 


JOPEYE,  synonymous  with  jupper,  which,  according 
to  Cotgrave,  is  an  old  word  signifying  "  to  whoot,  showt, 
crie  out  alowd."  The  French  word  juper,  juppery  also 
spelt  joppeir,  had  the  same  meaning,  and  we  find  it  em- 


APPENDIX  235 

ployed  in  the  "  Chace  dou  cerf"  for  a  halloa  in  hunting 
in  a  similar  way  to  jopeye  in  our  text  : 

"  Et  puis  juppe  ou  come  i.  lone  mot 
Chaucims  en  a  joie  qui  Vot" 

In  the  sense  it  is  used  in  our  "  Master  of  Game  "  (p. 
185)  it  means  to  halloa  to  the  hounds,  to  encourage  them 
with  the  voice. 

KENETTES,  small  hounds.  Kenet  is  a  diminutive 
form  of  the  Norman-French  kenety  and  the  O.  F.  cheny 
cieneteSy  chenet,  a  dog  :  i  veneour  a  ii  cienetes,  Ne  mie  grans 
mais  petitetes.  Et  plus  blans  que  n  est  flors  d* e spine  (Percival, 
22,895).  Derived  from  the  Latin  canis  [see  Appendix  : 
Harriers). 

LIGGING,  a  bed,  a  resting-place,  a  lair.  From  O. 
Eng.  licgan,  licgean,  Goth.  /igany  lie,  lie  down.  The 
ligging  of  the  hart  was  what  we  now  call  his  lair,  spelt 
also  layer.  In  our  MS.  it  is  used  for  the  dwelling  of  a 
wild  cat  (p.  71). 

This  old  expression  is  not  entirely  obsolete,  but  can 
be  heard  still  among  the  country  people  of  the  northern 
counties  of  England. 

LIMER,  lymer  ;  the  name  given  to  a  scenting-hound 
which  was  held  in  a  liam  or  leash  whilst  tracking  the 
game.  Limers  never  were  any  distinct  breed  of  hounds, 
but,  of  course,  some  breeds  produced  better  limers  than 
others  (De  Noirmont,  vol.  ii.  p.  350). 

A  dog  used  as  a  limer  had  to  be  keen  on  the  scent, 
staunch  on  the  line,  not  too  fast,  and  was  taught  to  run 
mute,  for  if  the  exact  whereabouts  of  any  game  had  to  be 
discovered,  it  would  have  been  impossible,  if  the  hound 
gave  tongue  or  challenged  while  on  the  scent.  A  likely 
hound  was  chosen  from  the  kennel  at  an  early  age, 
G.  de  F.  says  at  a  year  old  (p.  157),  and  from  that  time 
accompanied  his  master,  sleeping  in  his  room,  and  being 


236  APPENDIX 

taught  to  obey  him.  He  was  continually  taken  out  by 
his  master  with  collar  and  liam  and  encouraged  to  follow 
the  scent  of  hinds  and  of  staçs  and  other  beasts,  and 
punished  should  he  venture  to  acknowledge  the  scent  of 
any  animal  he  was  not  being  entered  to,  or  should  he 
open  on  finding  or  following  the  line. 

In  England  as  well  as  on  the  Continent  the  huntsman 
went  out  in  the  early  morning  to  track  the  game  to  be 
hunted  to  its  lair,  or  den,  before  the  pack  and  huntsmen 
came  into  the  field.  Deer,  wild  boar,  bear  and  wolves 
were  thus  harboured  by  means  of  a  limer.  Twici  makes 
the  apprentice  huntsman  ask  :  "  Now  I  wish  to  know 
how  many  of  the  beasts  are  moved  by  the  lymer,  and  how 
many  of  the  beasts  are  found  by  braches  ? — Sir,  all  those 
which  are  chased  are  moved  by  a  lymer,  and  all  those 
which  are  hunted  up  (enquillez)  are  found  by  the  braches  " 
(Twici,  p.  12  ;  see  Appendix  :  Acquillez). 

Limers  were  not  only  employed  when  a  warrantable 
stag  was  to  be  hunted  by  hounds,  but  a  huntsman  going 
out  with  his  bow  or  cross-bow  would  have  his  brachet  on 
a  liam  and  let  him  hunt  up  the  quarry  he  wished  to  shoot 
{see  Appendix  :  Bercelet).  Also,  the  day  before  one  of 
the  large  battues  for  big  game,  the  limers  would  be  taken 
out  to  ascertain  what  game  there  was  in  the  district  to 
be  driven. 

A  liam,  lyome,  or  fyame,  was  a  rope  made  of  silk  or 
leather  by  which  hounds  were  led,  from  O.  F.  Uamcn, 
a  strap  or  line,  Latin  ligaînen.  This  strap  was  fastened 
to  the  collar  by  a  swivel,  and  both  collar  and  liams  were 
often  very  gorgeous.  We  read  of  "  A  lyame  of  white 
silk  with  collar  of  white  vellat  embrawdered  with  perles, 
the  swivell  of  silver."  "  Dog  collors  of  crymson  vellat 
with  vi  lyhams  of  white  leather."  "  A  Heme  of  grene 
and  white  silke."  "  Three  lyames  and  colors  with  tirrett 
of  silver  and  quilt"  (Madden,  "Expenses  of  Princess 
Mary  "). 

A  hound  was  said  to  carry  his  liam  well  when  he  just 
kept  it  at  proper  tension,  not  straining  it,  for  that  would 


APPENDIX  237 

show  that  he  was  of  too  eager  temperament,  and  likely 
to  overshoot  the  line  ;  if  he  trailed  his  liam  on  the  ground, 
it  showed  that  he  was  slack  or  unwilling  (D'Yauville). 

As  soon  as  the  stag  was  "  moved  "  the  limer's  work 
was  over,  but  only  for  the  time  being  ;  his  master  led 
him  away,  the  other  hounds  were  uncoupled,  and  the 
harbourer,  mounting  his  horse  and  keeping  his  limer 
with  him,  rode  as  close  to  the  chase  as  he  could,  skirting 
below  the  wind  and  being  careful  not  to  cross  the  line, 
but  managing  to  be  at  hand  in  case  the  stag  should  run 
in  company  or  give  the  hounds  the  change.  In  this 
case  the  huntsman  had  to  check  the  hounds,  and 
wait  for  the  harbourer  and  limer  to  come  up  and  un- 
ravel the  change,  and  put  the  pack  on  the  right  scent 
once  more. 

The  method  of  starting  the  stag  with  a  limer  was  not 
done  away  with  in  France  until  the  eighteenth  century, 
although  in  Normandy  a  change  had  been  made  pre- 
viously, and  probably  in  England  also.  For  our  author 
says  that  some  sportsmen  even  in  his  time,  when  im- 
patient, would  uncouple  a  few  of  the  hounds  in  the 
covert,  before  the  stag  had  been  properly  started  by  the 
limer,  which  practice  he,  however,  was  not  in  favour  of 
except  under  the  conditions  he  mentions. 

This  uncoupling  of  a  few  older  hounds  in  covert  to 
start  the  deer,  coupling  them  again  as  soon  as  the  deer 
was  on  foot,  was  later  called  tufting,  and  is  still  customary 
in  Devon  and  Somerset. 

The  limer  was  not  rewarded  with  the  other  hounds  ; 
he  received  his  reward  from  the  hands  of  his  master 
before  or  after  the  other  hounds,  and  after  he  had  bayed 
the  head  of  the  stag. 

When  not  quoting  or  translating  the  old  text  the 
more  modern  spelling  of  //mer  has  been  used. 

MADNESS.  Old  Eng.  and  Mid.  Eng.  Woodness, 
wodnesse,  and  wodnyss  ;  mad,  wode.  The  seven  different 
sorts  of  madnesses  spoken  of  by  the  "  Master  of  Game  " 


238  APPENDIX 

are  also  mentioned  in  nearly  all  subsequent  works  on  old 
hunting  dealing  with  "  sicknesses  of  hounds."  They 
are  the  hot  burning  madness,  running  madness,  dumb 
madness,  lank  madness,  rheumatic  madness  or  slavering 
madness,  falling  madness,  sleeping  madness. 

These  are  mentioned  in  Roy  Modus,  and  the  cure  for 
rabies,  of  taking  the  afflicted  dog  to  the  sea  and  letting 
nine  waves  wash  over  him,  as  well  as  the  cock  cure 
mentioned  in  our  English  MS.,  were  both  taken  by 
Gaston  from  Roy  Modus,  or  both  derived  them  from 
some  common  source  (Roy  Modus,  fol.  xlv.  r). 

The  water  cure  is  mentioned  also  by  Albertus  Magnus 
(Alb.  Mag.,  215,  a  27). 

It  seems  likely  to  have  been  to  try  the  efficacy  of  this 
cure  that  King  Edward  I.  sent  some  of  his  hounds  to 
Dover  to  bathe  in  the  sea,  the  following  account  for 
which  is  entered  in  his  Wardrobe  Accounts  : 

"To  John  le  Berner,  going  to  Dover  to  bathe  six 
braches  by  the  King's  order  and  for  staying  there  for 
21  days  for  his  expense  3.  6d  "  (6  Edward  I.  Quoted 
from  MS.  Philipps,  8676). 

The  means  of  recognising  rabies  by  a  cock  is  also 
mentioned  in  the  recipe  of  the  eleventh  century  given 
by  Avicenna  (957-1037),  and  it  appears  again  in  Vin- 
centius  Bellovacensis  and  is  also  to  be  found  in  Alexander 
Neckham.  Although  the  manner  of  using  the  cock  for 
this  purpose  varies,  we  see  by  the  fact  of  its  being  men- 
tioned in  different  works  preceding  our  MS.  that  the 
cock  enjoyed  some  legendary  renown  for  at  least  a  couple 
of  centuries  before  Gaston  (Werth,  p.  55). 

Nowadays  only  two  varieties  of  rabies  are  recognised  : 
furious  and  dumb  rabies.  The  numerous  divisions  of  the 
old  authors  were  based  on  different  stages  of  the  disease 
and  slight  variations  in  the  symptoms. 

When  a  dog  is  attacked  with  rabies  its  owner  often 
supposes  that  the  dog  has  a  bone  in  its  throat,  so  that  a 
report  of  this  condition  is  regarded  by  veterinary  surgeons 
with  suspicion.     This  corresponds  with  the  description 


APPENDIX  239 

in  our  text  of  dogs,  with  their  mouths  "  somewhat  gaping, 
as  if  they  were  enosed  in  their  throat." 

MASTIFF,  from  F.  metif,  O.  F.  mestif,  M.  E.  mastyf, 

mestiv,  mixed  breed,  a  mongrel  dog  (Cent.  Diet.,  Murray). 
Some  etymologists  have  suggested  that  the  word  mastiff 
was  derived  from  masethieves,  as  these  dogs  protected  their 
master's  houses  and  cattle  from  thieves  (Manwood,  p. 
113).  Others  again  give  mastinus,  i.e.  maison  tenant, 
house-dog,  as  the  origin,  but  the  first  derivation  given  of 
mestif,  mongrel,  is  the  one  now  generally  recognised. 

Although  it  will  be  quite  evident  to  any  one  compar- 
ing the  mastiff  depicted  in  our  Plate,  p.  122,  with  any 
picture  of  the  British  mastiff  that  the  two  are  very  diffe- 
rent types,  we  must  not  therefore  conclude  that  the  artist 
was  at  fault,  but  that  the  French  matin,  which  is  what  our 
MS.  describes  and  depicts,  was  by  no  means  identical 
with  our  present  English  breed  of  mastiffs,  nor  even  with 
the  old  British  mastiff  or  bandog.  The  French  matins 
were  generally  big,  hardy  dogs,  somewhat  light  in  the 
body,  with  long  heads,  pointed  muzzles,  flattened  fore- 
head, and  semi-pendant  ears  ;  some  were  rough  and  others 
smooth  coated. 

Matins  were  often  used  for  tackling  the  wild  boar 
when  run  by  other  hounds,  so  as  to  save  the  more  valu- 
able ones  when  the  boar  turned  to  bay. 

In  this  chase,  as  well  as  when  they  were  used  to  pro- 
tect their  master's  flocks  against  wolves,  huge  iron  spiked 
collars  were  fastened  round  the  dog's  neck.  These 
spiked  collars  were  very  formidable  affairs  ;  one  of  very 
ancient  make  which  I  have  measures  inside  nearly  eight 
inches  in  diameter,  and  the  forty-eight  spikes  are  an  inch 
long,  the  whole  weighing  without  the  padlock  that 
fastened  it  together  about  two  pounds. 

In  England  the  name  Mastiff  was  not  in  general  use 
till  a  much  later  date,  even  as  late  as  the  end  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  Osbaldiston  in  his  Dictionary  ignor- 
ing the  term  mastiff,  and  using,  like  a  true  Saxon,  the 


24o  APPENDIX 

old  term  bandog  (Wynn,  p.  72).  In  the  seventeenth  and 
eighteenth  centuries  the  terms  were  generally  synony- 
mous, and  it  seems  quite  possible  that  the  mastiff  of  the 
ancient  forest  laws  was  not  our  bandog,  but  denoted,  as 
in  France,  any  large  house-dog  capable  of  defending  his 
master  and  his  master's  goods,  watching  his  cattle,  and, 
as  frequently  necessary,  powerful  enough  to  attack  the 
depredatory  wolf  or  the  wild  boar.  These  would  in  all 
likelihood  be  a  very  mixed  breed,  and  thoroughly  justify 
the  name  m  est  if  or  mongrel. 

Cotgrave  in  his  French-English  Dictionary  gives  the 
following  : — 

"  Mastin,  a  mastiue  or  bandog  ;  a  great  country  curre; 
also  a  rude,  fllthie,  currish  or  cruell  fellow." 

We  find  the  word  matin  in  France  used  as  a  term  of 
opprobrium,  or  a  name  of  contempt  for  any  ugly  or 
distorted  body  or  a  coarse  person  :  "  Ces  un  matin,  un 
vilain  mâtiné  Many  interesting  facts  about  the  mastiff 
have  been  collected  by  Jesse  in  his  "  History  of  the 
British  Dog,"  but  he  also  makes  the  mistake  of  consider- 
ing that  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  and  Turbervile  give  us 
the  description  of  the  dogs  then  existing  in  England, 
whereas  these  descriptions  really  relate  only  to  French 
breeds,  although  the  characteristics  may  in  many  cases 
have  tallied  sufficiently  ;  but  in  others  a  dire  confusion 
has  resulted  from  blindly  copying  from  one  another. 

MENÉE,  from  Latin  minare,  something  which  is 
led,  a  following.  This  word  frequently  occurs  in  the 
mediaeval  romances,  and  usually  denoted  pursuit,  either 
in  battle  or  in  the  hunting  field  (Borman,  p.  37). 
There  are  various  meanings  attached  to  menée  : — 
1.  The  line  of  flight  the  stag  or  other  game  has  taken, 
and  Chacier  la  menée  seems  to  have  meant  hunting  with 
horn  and  hound  by  scent  on  the  line  of  flight,  in  con- 
tradiction to  the  chase  with  the  bow  or  crossbow,  which 
was  called  herser  {Le  Roman  des  Loherains,  106,  c.  30).  In 
G.  de  F.  (p.   157)  it  is  used  in  the  same  sense.     The 


APPENDIX  241 


meaning  in  which  Gaston  de  Foix  uses  the  word  menée 
is  explained  by  him  :  Et  puis  se  metre  après,  et  chevauchier 
menée  :  c'est  à  dire  par  ou  les  chiens  et  le  cerf  vont  (G.  de 
F.,  pp.  43,  44,  171,  179).  See  also  Chace  clou  Cerf  and 
Hard,  de  Font.  Guer.  Edit.  Pichon). 

2.  The  challenge  of  the  hound  when  on  the  line. 
Page  171,  we  read  that  a  hunter  should  know  whether 
the  hounds  have  retrieved  their  stag  by  the  doubling  of 
their  menée,  i.e.  the  hounds  would  make  more  noise  as 
soon  as  they  found  the  scent  or  line  of  flight  of  the  stag 
they  were  chasing.  Menée  evidently  meant  the  sound 
made  by  the  hound  when  actually  following  the  scent, 
not  when  baying  the  game.  Later  the  sense  seems  to 
have  been  widened,  and  a  musical  hound  was  said  to  have 
la  menée  belle  (Salnove,  p.  246). 

3.  A  note  sounded  on  a  horn  {see  Appendix  :  Hunting 
Music).  It  was  the  signal  that  the  deer  was  in  full 
flight.  It  appears  to  be  used  in  Twici  to  signify  the 
horn-signal  blown  when  the  hounds  are  on  the  scent  of 
hart,  boar  or  wolf,  to  press  the  hounds  onwards  (Twici, 
p.  23).  This  author  says  one  cannot  blow  the  menée 
for  the  hare,  because  it  is  at  one  time  female  and  another 
male,  and  to  this  Dryden  in  his  notes  remarks  that 
Twici  is  perfectly  right  in  saying  a  man  ought  not  to 
blow  the  menée  for  a  hare  ;  for  as  every  one  knows,  it 
is  but  a  rare  occurrence  for  a  hare  to  go  straight  on  end 
like  a  fox,  for  they  commonly  double  and  run  rings,  in 
which  case  if  the  hounds  were  pressed,  they  would  over- 
run the  scent  and  probably  lose  the  hare.  But  he  does 
not  explain  why  Twici  says  if  it  were  always  male  the 
menée  could  be  blown  at  it  as  at  other  beasts,  such  as 
the  hart,  the  boar,  and  the  wolf.  Is.  it  that  a  male  hare 
will  occasionally  run  a  long,  straight  course  of  several 
miles,  but  that  the  female  runs  smaller  rings  and  more 
constantly  retraces  her  steps,  and  therefore  the  menée 
could  never  be  blown  at  her  ? 

4.  Menée  was  also  used  in  the  sense  of  a  signal  on  a 
horn. 


242  APPENDIX 

The  "  Master  of  Game  "  says  the  menées  should  be 
sounded  on  the  return  of  the  huntsman  at  the  hall  or 
cellar  door  (p.  179).  There  was  a  curious  old  custom 
which  occasioned  the  blowing  of  the  horn  in  West- 
minster Abbey.  Two  menées  were  blown  at  the  high 
altar  of  the  Abbey  on  the  delivery  there  of  eight 
fallow  deer  which  Henry  III.  had  by  charter  granted 
as  a  yearly  gift  to  the  Abbot  of  Westminster  and  his 
successors. 

METYNGE,  here  evidently  means  meating  or  feed- 
ing. As  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  says  :  "  or  pasturing  " 
as  if  the  two  words  were  synonymous,  as  metinge  also  was 
Mid.  Eng.  for  measure,  it  might  have  been  a  deer  of  "  high 
measure  and  pasturing."  But  anyhow  the  two  were 
practically  identical,  for  as  Twici  says  :  "  Harts  which 
are  of  good  pasture.  For  the  head  grows  according  to 
the  pasture  5  good  or  otherwise."     See  below  :  Meute. 

MEUTE  had  several  meanings  in  Old  French  venery. 

1.  The  "Master  of  Game"  translated  G.  de  F.'s 
"grant  cerf"  as  a  hart  of  high  feeding  or  pasture.  But 
he  omitted  to  render  the  following  passage  :  "  Et  s'il  est  de 
bonne  meute,  allons  le  laisser  courre"  The  "  bonne  meute  " 
is  not  translated  by  "  high  meating."  It  was  an  expres- 
sion in  use  to  indicate  whether  the  stag  was  in  good 
company  or  not.  If  a  warrantable  stag  was  accom- 
panied by  one  or  two  large  stags  he  was  termed  "  Un 
cerf  de  bonne  mute"  (or  meute),  but  if  hinds  and  young 
stags  (rascal)  were  with  him  he  was  designated  as  a  "  cerf 
de  mauvaise  mute."  In  Roy  Modus  we  read  :  "  La 
première  est  de  savoir  5'//  est  de  bonne  mute." 

Perhaps  meute  when  used  in  this  sense  was  derived 
from  the  old  Norman  word  moeta,  màeta,  from  mot,  meet, 
come  together.  There  was  also  an  Old  Eng.  word  metta 
or  gemetta,  companion. 

2.  Meute  was  also  used  in  another  sense  which  is 
translated  by  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  as  haunts,  probably 


APPENDIX  243 

the  place  the  deer  usually  moves  in.  G.  says  :  "  Il  prendra 
congé  de  sa  meute"  and  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  has  :  "  he 
leaves  his  haunts."  If  a  deer  was  harboured  in  a  good 
country  for  hunting  he  was  also  called  "  En  belle  meute  " 
(D'Yauville,  voc.  Meute). 

It  was  in  this  sense  that  the  "  Sénéschal  de  Nor- 
mandye  "  answers  the  question  of  his  royal  mistress  about 
the  stag  he  himself  had  harboured  that  morning  ;  he  tells 
her  the  stag  was  En  belle  meute  et  pays  fort. 

3.  Meute,  mute,  a  number  of  hounds,  now  called  a 
pack  or  kennel  of  hounds  or  a  cry  of  hounds. 

MEW,  Mue,  to  shed,  cast,  or  change.  "The  hart 
mews  his  horns,"  the  deer  casts  his  head,  or  sheds  his 
antlers.  From  the  French  muer,  and  the  Latin  mutare, 
to  change,  of  hawks  to  moult. 

MOVE,  Meu,  Meue,  mewe,  meeve,  old  forms  of 
move.  To  start  a  hart  signified  to  unharbour  him,  to 
start  him  from  his  lair. 

G.  de  F.  says  :  allons  le  laisser  courre  ;  but  the  word 
meu  or  meve  was  also  used  in  Old  French  in  the  same 
way  as  in  English. 

Twici  says  :  Ore  vodroi  ioe  savoir  quantez  des  betes  sunt 
meuz  de  lymer,  e  quanz  des  bestes  sunt  trouez  des  bradiez. 
.  .  .  Sire,  touz  ceaus  qe  sunt  enchaces  ;  sunt  meuz  de  lymer. 
E  tous  ceaus  enquillez  sunt  trovez  de  brachez.  (Now  I 
would  wish  to  know  how  many  beasts  are  moved  by  a 
lymer  and  how  many  beasts  are  found  by  the  braches. 
— Sir,  all  those  which  are  chased  are  moved  by  a 
lymer.  And  all  those  which  are  hunted  up  are  found  by 
braches.)  (Line  18  ;  Tristan.,  i.  4337  ;  Partonopeus  de 
Blois,  607.) 

MUSE,  Meuse.  An  opening  in  a  fence  through 
which  a  hare  or  other  animal  is  accustomed  to  pass. 
An  old  proverb  says  :  "  'Tis  as  hard  to  find  a  hare 
without  a  muse,  as  a  woman  without  scuse." 


244  APPENDIX 

"  A  hare  will  pass  by  the  same  muses  until  her  death 
or  escape  "  (Blome,  p.  92). 

NUMBLES.  M.  E.  nombles,  noumbles  ;  O.  F.  nombles. 
The  parts  of  a  deer  between  the  thighs,  that  is  to  say, 
the  liver  and  kidneys  and  entrails.  Part,  and  sometimes 
the  whole  of  the  numbles  were  considered  the  right  of 
the  huntsman  ;  sometimes  the  huntsman  only  got  the 
kidneys,  and  the  rest  was  put  aside  with  the  tit-bits  re- 
served for  the  King  or  chief  personage  (Turb.,  pp.  128- 
129).  Numbles  by  loss  of  the  initial  letter  became 
umbles  (Harrison,  vol.  i.  p.  309),  and  was  sometimes 
written  numbles,  whence  came  "  humble  pie,"  now  only 
associated  with  the  word  humble.  Humble  pie  was  a  pie 
made  of  the  umbles  or  numbles  of  the  deer,  and  formerly 
at  hunting  feasts  was  set  before  the  huntsman  and  his 
followers. 

OTTER.  The  Duke  of  York  does  not  tell  us  any- 
thing of  the  chase  of  the  Otter,  but  merely  refers  one  at 
the  end  of  the  chapter  on  "The  Nature  of  the  Otter" 
to  Milbourne,  the  King's  Otter-hunter,  for  more  informa- 
tion and  says,  "  as  of  all  other  vermin  I  speak  not  " 
(P-  73)*  The  Otter  was  evidently  beneath  his  notice,  as 
being  neither  regarded  as  a  beast  of  venery  nor  of  the 
chase  (Twety  and  Gyfford,  Brit.  Mus.  MS.  Vesp. 
B.  XII.).  But  the  very  fact  that  the  King  had  an  Otter- 
hunter  shows  that  it  was  a  beast  not  altogether  despised, 
although  probably  hunted  more  for  the  value  of  its  skin 
and  for  the  protection  of  the  fish  than  for  the  sport. 

The  Milbourne  referred  to  by  the  Duke  of  York  can 
scarcely  be  any  other  than  the  William  Melbourne  we 
find  mentioned  in  Henry  IV. 's  reign  as  "  Valet  of  our 
Otter-hounds"  (Privy  Seal,  674/6456,  Feb.  18,  1410). 

PARFET,  the  perfect.  Twici  says  :  Une  autre  chasce 
il  y  ad  qe  homme  appelé  le  par/et.  Dunkes  covient  il  qe  vous 
corneez  en  autre  maneree.  .  .  .  E  isse  chescun  homme  qest  en 


APPENDIX  245 

tour  vous,  que  s'iet  de  vénerie  puet  conustre  en  quel  point  vous 
estes  en  vostre  dedut par  vostre  corneer  (line  ni). 

From  comparing  the  various  places  where  the  word 
parfait  is  employed  in  connection  with  hunting,  it  may- 
be concluded  that  to  hunt  the  "  Parfet  "  was  when  the 
hounds  were  on  the  line  of  the  right  stag,  to  sound  the 
"  Parfet  "  was  to  blow  the  notes  that  indicated  the  hounds 
were  hunting  the  right  line.  Dryden  in  his  notes  to 
Twici  suggests  that  the  chase  of  the  parfet  was  "  in 
opposition  to  the  chase  of  the  Forloyng,"  that  is,  when 
the  pack  run  well  together  "jostling  in  close  array" 
(Twici,  p.  43).  But  Perfect  in  the  O.  F.  works  seems 
to  us  to  invariably  be  used,  as  already  said,  to  indicate  that 
the  hounds  have  not  taken  the  change,  but  are  staunch 
to  the  right  scent.  Jacques  de  Brézé  says  the  stag  he  is 
hunting  joins  two  great  stags,  but  although  some  of  the 
hounds  ran  silent  for  awhile,  they  still  continued  staunch 
to  their  line,  and  here  he  uses  the  word  "parfait"  (Sen. 
de  Nor.,  p.  13). 

Modus  also  uses  it  in  this  sense  :  Les  chiens  qui  viennent 
chaçant  après  le  parfait  (fol.  xix.  v).  And  what  is  most 
conclusive  is  the  sense  given  to  it  in  our  text  :  "  Should 
blow  to  him  again  the  parfyt  so  that  he  were  in  his  rightes 
and  ellys  nought,"  i.e.  the  parfyt  should  only  be  blown 
if  the  hound  was  on  the  right  line  (p.  174). 

PARFYTIERES,  the  name  given  in  the  «  Master  of 
Game  "  to  the  last  relay  of  hounds  uncoupled  during  the 
chase  of  the  stag.  First  came  the  "  vaunt  chase"  and 
then  the  "  midel"  and  then  the  " parfytieres"  They 
may  have  been  so  called  from  being  the  last  hounds  to 
be  uncoupled,  being  those  that  completed  or  perfected 
the  pack — i.e.  perfecters,  or  this  relay  may  have  derived 
its  name  from  being  composed  of  some  of  the  staunchest 
hounds  from  the  kennel,  those  not  likely  to  follow  any 
but  the  right  line  or  the  parfyt.  It  was  customary  in 
the  old  days  to  keep  some  of  the  slower  and  staunchest 
hounds  in  the  last  relay,  and  to  cast  them  only  when  a 


246  APPENDIX 

stag  nearing  its  end  rused  and  foiled,  and  sought  by 
every  means  to  shake  off  his  persecutors  (sec  Appendix  : 
Relays).  G.  de  F.  gives  the  names  of  the  three  relays 
simply  as   La  première  bataille,   la  seconde,  and   la    tierce 

(P    175). 

POMELED  ;  spotted,  from  O.  F.  pomeiè,  spotted  like 
an  apple.  The  young  of  the  roedeer  are  born  with  a 
reddish  brown  coat  with  white  spots,  which  the  "  Master 
of  Game  "  calls  pomeled.  This  term  was  also  frequently 
used  in  Ang.-N.,  O.  F.,  and  in  the  dog- Latin  of  our  ancient 
records  to  describe  a  flea-bitten  or  dappled  horse.  "  His 
hakenei  that  was  all  pomeli  gris  "  (Strat.).  "  Pommeli 
liar  dus,  gris  pommelé,  Uno  equo  liar  do  pomeled  (Obs.  Ward. 
Ace.  28,  Ed.  L).  G.  de  F.  does  not  use  this  word  in 
describing  the  young  of  the  roedeer,  but  says  they  are 
born  "  eschaquettes  "  (p.  40). 

RACHES  ;  ratches  or  racches,  a  dog  that  hunts  by 
scent.  A.-S.  raecc,  a  hound,  and  O.  F.  and  Ang.-N. 
brache,  bracket,  bracon,  braquet;  Ger.  bracken.  Ang.-Lat., 
brachetus,  bracketus. 

Raches  were  scenting  hounds  hunting  in  a  pack,  later 
called  "  running  hounds,"  and  then  simply  hounds.  Al- 
though raches  or  brachets  are  frequently  mentioned  in 
the  O.  F.  and  Ang.-N.  metrical  romances,  and  in  various 
early  documents,  we  have  never  found  any  description  of 
them,  but  can  only  gather  what  they  were  from  the  uses 
they  were  put  to.  We  find  that  the  bracco  was  used  by 
the  early  German  tribes  to  track  criminals,  therefore 
they  were  scenting  hounds.  There  is  plenty  of  evidence 
that  they  were  used  for  stag,  wild  boar,  and  buck  hunting 
during  the  Middle  Ages.  They  were  coupled  together 
and  led  by  a  berner  or  bracennier  or  braconnier.  Braconnier 
now  means  poacher,  but  this  is  only  the  later  meaning  ; 
originally  braconnier  was  the  leader  of  the  bracos,  or 
huntsman  (Daurel,  p.  337  ;  Bangert,  p.  173  ;  Dol. 
9188). 


APPENDIX  247 

We  gather  that  these  brachets  of  the  early  Middle 
Ages  were  small  hounds,  sometimes  entirely  white,  but 
generally  white  with  black  markings.  Sometimes  they 
were  mottled  (bracet  mautre).  One  description  of  a 
braces  corant  says  this  hound  was  as  white  as  a  nut,  with 
black  ears,  a  black  mark  on  the  right  flank,  and  flecked 
with  black  (Blancadin,  1271  ;  Perc.  17,555,  22,585; 
Tristan  M.,  1475,  2261  ;  Tyolet,  332). 

In  the  early  days  in  England  we  find  that  braches 
were  used  to  hunt  up  such  smaller  game  as  was  not  un- 
harboured  or  dislodged  by  the  limer.  Twici  says  :  "  Sire, 
touz  ceaus  qe  sunt  enchaces,  sunt  meuz  de  lymer.  E  tous  ceaus 
enquillez  sunt  trovez  de  brachez  "  (see  Appendix  :  Acquillez), 
i.e.  All  beasts  that  are  enchased  are  moved  by  a  limer, 
and  all  those  that  are  hunted  up  are  found  by  braches 
(Twici,  pp.  2,  12).  Raches  are  mentioned  in  the 
"  Boke  of  St.  Albans  "  among  the  "  Dyvers  manere  of 
houndes"  and  the  apprentice  to  venery  is  told  he  should 
speak  of  "  A  mute  of  houndes,  a  kenell  of  rachys."  He 
is  also  informed  that  the  hart,  the  buck,  and  the  boar 
should  be  started  by  a  limer,  and  that  all  "  other  bestes 
that  huntyd  shall  be  sought  for  and  found  by  Ratches  so 
free."  John  Hardyng  in  his  Chronicle,  speaking  of  an 
inroad  into  Scotland  by  Edward  IV.,  in  whose  reign  he 
was  yet  living,  said,  "And  take  Kennetes  and  Ratches 
with  you  and  seeke  oute  all  the  forest  with  houndes  and 
homes  as  Kynge  Edwarde  with  the  long  shanks  dide." 
In  the  "  Squyer  of  Low  degree  "  we  read  that  the  hunts- 
man came  with  his  bugles  "  and  seven  score  raches  at 
his  rechase." 

RESEEYUOUR  ;  the  word  the  most  approaching 
this  to  be  found  in  any  dictionary  is  under  the  head  of 
receiver,  M.  E.  receyvour,  one  who,  or  that  which  re- 
ceives. The  reseeyuours  were  most  likely  those  grey- 
hounds who  received  the  game,  i.e.  pulled  it  down  after 
it  had  been  chased.  We  see  in  our  text  that  teasers  and 
reseeyuours  are  mentioned  together  (p.  198).     The  former 


248  APPENDIX 

were  light,  swift  greyhounds  ;  these  were  probably  slipped 
first  ;  and  the  latter  (Shirley  MS.  spells  resteynours)  were 
the  heavy  greyhounds  slipped  last,  and  capable  of  pulling 
down  a  big  stag.  De  Noirmont  tells  us  :  Ces  derniers 
étaient  surnommes  receveours  ou  receveurs  (ii.  p.  426,  and  G. 
de  F.,  p.  177). 

RELAYS.  In  the  early  days  of  venery  the  whole 
pack  was  not  allowed  to  hunt  at  the  commencement  of 
the  chase.  After  the  stag  had  been  started  from  his  lair 
by  a  limer,  some  hounds  were  uncoupled  and  laid  on,  the 
rest  being  divided  off  into  relays,  which  were  posted  in 
charge  of  one  or  more  berners  along  the  probable  line  of 
the  stag,  and  were  uncoupled  when  the  hunted  stag  and 
the  hounds  already  chasing  him  had  passed.  There  were 
usually  three  relays,  and  two  to  four  couples  the  usual 
number  in  each  relay,  though  the  number  of  couples  de- 
pended, of  course,  on  the  size  of  the  hunting  establish- 
ment and  the  number  of  hounds  in  the  kennel.  G.  de 
F.  calls  these  relays  simply,  première,  seconde,  and  tierce. 
The  "  Master  of  Game  "  calls  the  first  lot  of  hounds  un- 
coupled the  "  finders  "  (p.  165),  though  this  seems  rather  a 
misnomer,  as  the  harbourer  with  his  limer  [see  Limer) 
found  and  started  the  deer.  The  vauntchase  for  the  first 
relay,  and  the  midel speak  for  themselves,  but  we  have  little 
clue  to  the  origin  of  parfitieres  for  the  third  relay.  Were 
they  so  called  because  they  perfected  or  completed  the 
chase,  or  because  they  were  some  of  the  staunchest 
hounds  who  could  be  depended  upon  to  follow  the  parfit, 
i.e.  the  right  line  of  the  stag  or  animal  hunted  ?  {see 
Appendix  :  Parfet).  Old  authorities  seem  to  have  differed 
in  opinion  as  to  whether  the  staunchest  and  slowest 
hounds  should  have  been  put  in  the  first  cry  or  in  the 
last  (Roy  Modus,  fol.  xvi.  ;  G.  de  F.,  p.  178;  Lav., 
Chasse  à  Courre,  pp.  297-8). 

In  the  "  Boke  of  St.  Albans  "  we  read  of  the  vaunt/ay, 
relay,  and  allay.  The  first  was  the  name  given  to 
hounds  if  they  were  uncoupled  and  thrown  off  between 


APPENDIX  249 

the  pack  and  the  beast  pursued,  the  relay  were  the 
hounds  uncoupled  after  the  hounds  already  hunting  had 
passed  by  ;  the  allay  is  held  : 

"  Till  all  the  houndes  that  be  behynd  be  cum  therto 
Than  let  thyn  houndes  all  to  geder  goo 
That  is  called  an  allay." 

Instructions  concerning  when  relays  should  be  given 
always  warn  the  berner  not  to  let  slip  the  couples  till 
some  of  the  surest  hounds  have  passed  on  the  scent,  and 
till  he  be  sure  that  the  stag  they  are  hunting  is  the  right 
one  and  not  a  substitute,  i.e.  one  frightened  and  put 
up  by  the  hunted  stag.  The  "  Master  of  Game M  is 
careful  also  to  say  :  "  Take  care  that  thou  vauntlay  not  " 
(p.  169). 

The  discontinuing  of  relays  seemed  to  have  been 
begun  first  in  Normandy  and  probably  about  the  same 
time  in  England. 

In  France  the  three  relays  of  greyhounds  which  were 
used  were  called  Lévriers  d'estric — i.e.  those  which  were 
first  let  slip  ;  lévriers  de  flanc,  those  that  attacked  from 
the  side  ;  and  lévriers  de  tète,  those  that  bar  the  passage 
in  front  of  the  game  or  head  it,  terms  that  correspond 
with  our  vauntlay,  allay,  and  relay.  In  the  "  Master  of 
Game's  "  chapter  on  the  wolf  these  relays  of  greyhounds 
are  indicated  (p.  59). 

RIOT.  The  "  Master  of  Game's  "  statement  on  p. 
74  that  no  other  wild  beast  in  England  is  called  ryott  save 
the  coney  only  has  called  forth  many  suggestions  as  to 
the  origin  of  this  name  being  applied  to  the  rabbit,  and  the 
connection  between  riot,  a  noise  or  brawl,  and  the  rabbit. 
The  word  riot  is  represented  in  M.  E.  and  O.  F.  by  riotey 
in  Prov.  riota,  Ital.  riotta,  and  in  all  these  languages  it  had 
the  same  signification,  i.e.  a  brawl,  a  dispute,  an  uproar, 
a  quarrel  (Skeat). 

Diez  conjectures  the  F.  riote  to  stand  for  rivote,  and 
refers  to  O.H.G.  riben,  G.  reiben,  to  grate,  to  rub  (orig. 


250  APPENDIX 

perhaps  to  rive,  to  rend).  From  German,  sich  an  einem 
reibeuy  to  mock,  to  attack,  to  provoke  one  ;  lit.  to  rub 
oneself  against  one. 

Rabbit,  which  is  in  O.  Dutch  robbe,  has  probably  the 
same  origin  from  reïben. 

The  etymology  and  connection,  if  any,  between  the 
two  words  rabbit  and  riot  is  difficult  to  determine.  It  is 
very  probable  that  the  rabbit  was  called  riot  from  pro- 
ducing a  brawling  when  the  hounds  came  across  one. 
The  term  "running  riot"  may  well  be  derived  from  a 
hunting  phrase. 

ROE.  The  error  regarding  the  October  rut  into 
which  G.  de  F.  and  the  Duke  of  York  fell  was  one  to 
which  the  naturalists  of  much  later  times  subscribed,  for 
it  was  left  to  Dr.  Ziegler  and  to  Dr.  Bischoff,  the  Pro- 
fessor of  Physiology  at  Heidelberg,  to  demonstrate  in 
1843  the  true  history  of  the  gestation  of  the  roe,  which 
for  more  than  a  century  had  been  a  hotly  disputed  problem. 
On  that  occasion  it  was  shown  with  scientific  positiveness 
that  the  true  rut  of  the  roe  takes  place  about  the  end  of 
July  or  first  week  in  August,  and  that  the  ovum  does 
not  reach  the  uterus  for  several  months,  so  that  the  first 
development  of  the  embryo  does  not  commence  before 
the  middle  of  December. 

RUNNING  HOUNDS  AND  RACHES  (F.  chiens 

courants).  Under  this  heading  we  include  all  such  dogs 
as  hunted  by  scent  in  packs,  whatever  the  game  they 
pursued  might  be.  They  appear  in  the  early  records  of 
our  kings  as  Canes  de  Mota,  Canes  currentes,  and  as  Sousos 
(scenting  hounds)  (Close  Rolls  7  John  ;  Mag.  Rot.  4, 
John  Rot.  10  ;  4  Henry  III.),  and  are  mentioned  speci- 
fically as  cervericiis,  deimericiis,  as  Heyrectorum  (harriers) 
or  canes  heirettes,  and  foxhounds  as  guplllerettis  or  wulperkiis 
(Close  Rolls,  15  John). 

The  Anglo-Saxon  word  Hundas,  hound,  was  a  general 
name  for  any  dog  ;  the  dog  for  the  chase  in  Anglo-Saxon 


APPENDIX  251 

times  being   distinguished    by   the    prefix    Reny   making 
ren  hund. 

Gradually  the  word  dog  superseded  the  word  hound, 
and  the  latter  was  only  retained  to  designate  a  "  scenting  " 
dog.  Dr.  Caius,  writing  to  Dr.  Gesner,  remarks  in  his 
book  :  "  Thus  much  also  understand,  that  as  in  your 
language  Hunde  is  the  common  word,  so  in  our  naturall 
tounge  dogge  is  the  universall,  but  Hunde  is  perticular 
and  a  speciall,  for  it  signifieth  such  a  dogge  onely  as 
serveth  to  hunt  "  (Caius,  p.  40).  (See  Appendix  : 
Raches.)  Running  hounds  was  a  very  literal  translation 
of  the  French  chiens  courants,  and  as  the  descriptive  chapter 
given  in  our  text  is  as  literal  a  rendering  from  G.  de  F. 
there  is  no  information  that  helps  us  to  piece  together 
the  ancestry  of  the  modern  English  hound.  We  do  not 
know  what  breed  were  in  the  royal  kennels  in  the  reign 
of  Henry  IV.,  but  probably  some  descendants  of  those 
brought  to  this  country  by  the  Normans,  about  the  origin 
of  which  breed  nothing  seems  known. 

Keep  of  Hounds.  The  usual  cost  of  the  keep  of  a 
hound  at  the  time  of  our  MS.  was  a  halfpenny  a  day,  of 
a  greyhound  three  farthings,  and  of  a  limer  or  bloodhound 
one  penny  a  day. 

However  for  the  royal  harthounds  an  allowance  of  three 
farthings  a  day  was  made  for  each  hound  (Q.  R.  Ace. 
1407),  and  we  also  find  occasionally  that  only  a  halfpenny 
a  day  was  made  for  the  keep  of  a  greyhound.  In  Edward 
I.'s  reign  a  halfpenny  a  day  was  the  allowance  made  for 
fox-  and  otter-hounds  (14,  15,  31,  32,  34,  Edward  I. 
Ward.  Ace),  and  sometimes  three  farthings  and  some- 
times a  halfpenny  a  day  for  a  greyhound.  The  Master  of 
Buckhounds  was  allowed  a  halfpenny  a  day  each  for  his 
hounds  and  greyhounds. 

In  the  reign  of  Richard  III.  the  Master  of  Harthounds 
was  allowed  3s.  3d.  a  day  "  for  the  mete  of  forty  dogs 
and  twelve  greyhounds  and  threepence  a  day  for  three 
limers"  (Rolls  of  Pari.,  vol.  v.  p.  16). 

The  "  Boke  of  Curtasye  "  (fourteenth  century,  Percy 


25  2  APPENDIX 

Society,  iv.  p.  26),  gives  us  information  which  quite 
agrees  with  the  payments  entered  in  the  Wardrobe  and 
other  accounts  of  the  King's  hunting  establishment. 
And  under  the  head  of  De  Pistore  we  find  the  baker  is 
told  to  make  loaves  for  the  hounds  : 

"  Manchet  and  chet  to  make  brom  bred  hard 
ffor  chaundeler  and  grehoundes  and  huntes  reward." 

Chet,  a  word  not  in  use  since  the  seventeenth  century, 
meant  wheaten  bread  of  the  second  quality,  made  of  flour 
more  coarsely  sifted  than  that  used  for  manchet,  which 
was  the  finest  quality. 

Brom  bread  was  oaten  bread,  and  probably  was  very 
much  the  same  as  a  modern  dog  biscuit. 

One  of  the  ancient  feudal  rights  was  that  of  obtaining 
bran  from  the  vassals  for  the  hounds'  bread,  known  as 
the  right  of  brennage,  from  bren,  bran. 

Although  bread  was  the  staple  food  given  to  hounds, 
yet  they  were  also  provided  with  meat.  At  the  end  of 
a  day's  hunting  they  received  a  portion  of  the  game 
killed  (see  Curée),  and  if  this  was  not  sufficient  or  it  was 
not  the  hunting  season  game  was  expressly  killed  for 
them.  In  a  decree  from  King  John  to  William  Pratell 
and  the  Bailiffs  of  Falke  de  Breaut  of  the  Isle  of  Ely, 
the  latter  are  commanded  to  find  bread  and  paste  for  the 
hounds  as  they  may  require,  "and  to  let  them  hunt  some- 
times in  the  Bishops  chase  for  the  flesh  upon  which  they 
are  fed  "  (Close  Roll,  17  John).  In  an  extract  from  the 
Wardrobe  Accounts  of  6  Edward  I.  we  find  a  payment 
was  made  of  40s.  by  the  King  to  one  Bernard  King  for 
his  quarry  for  two  years  past  on  which  the  King's  dogs 
had  been  fed  (MS.  Phillipps,  8676). 

We  find  also  that  "  Pantryes,  Chippinges  and  broken 
bread  "  were  given  to  the  hounds,  Chippings  being  fre- 
quently mentioned  in  the  royal  accounts  as  well  as  meat 
for  the  hounds  (Liber  Niger  Domus  Ed.  IV.  ;  Collection 
of  Ordinances  of  the  Royal  Households  ;  Jesse,  ii.  125  ; 
Privy  Purse  Expenses  Henry  VIII.  1 529-1532). 


APPENDIX  253 

The  cost  of  the  keep  of  some  Jof  the  King's  hounds 
were  paid  for  out  of  the  exchequer,  others  were  paid 
from  the  revenues  and  outgoings  of  various  counties,  and 
an  immense  number  were  kept  by  subjects  who  held 
land  from  the  crown  by  serjeantry  or  in  capite  of  keeping 
a  stated  number  of  running  hounds,  greyhounds,  and 
brachets,  &c,  for  the  King's  use  (Blount's  Ancient 
Tenures,  Plac.  Chron.  12,  13  Ed.  I.;  Issue  Roll  25 
Henry  VI.  ;  Domesday,  torn.  i.  fol.  57  v). 

We  see  by  the  early  records  of  our  kings  that  a  pack 
of  hounds  did  not  always  remain  stationary  and  hunt 
within  easy  reach  of  their  kennels,  but  were  sent  from 
one  part  of  the  kingdom  to  another  to  hunt  where 
game  was  most  plentiful  or  where  there  was  most  vermin 
to  be  destroyed.  As  early  as  Edward  I.'s  reign  we  find 
conveyances  were  sometimes  provided  for  hounds  when 
they  went  on  long  journeys.  Thomas  de  Candore  or 
Candovere  and  Robert  le  Sanser  (also  called  Salsar),  hunts- 
men of  the  stag  and  buckhounds  (Close  Rolls  49  Henry 
III.  ;  6,  8  Ed.  I.),  were  paid  for  a  horse-litter  for  fifty- 
nine  days  for  the  use  of  their  sixty-six  hounds  and  five 
limers  (Ward.  Ace.  14,  15  Ed.  I.).  And  as  late  as 
Henry  VIII. 's  time  the  hounds  seemed  to  travel  about 
considerable  distances,  as  in  the  Privy  Purse  expenses  of 
that  King  the  cart  covered  with  canvas  for  the  use  of  his 
hounds  is  a  frequently  recurring  item. 

SCANTILON,  O.  F.  eschantillon,  Mid.  Eng.  Scan- 
tilon,  Mod.  Eng.  scantling,  mason's  rule,  a  measure  ;  the 
huntsman  is  continually  told  to  take  a  scant'ilony  that  is, 
a  measure,  of  the  slot  or  footprint  of  the  deer,  so  as  to 
be  able  to  show  it  at  the  meet,  that  with  this  measure 
and  the  examination  of  the  droppings  which  the  huntsman 
was  also  to  bring  with  him  the  Master  of  the  Game  could 
judge  if  the  man  had  harboured  a  warrantable  deer 
{see  Appendix  :  Slot  and  Trace). 

SEASONS    OF    HUNTING.     In   medieval   times 


254  APPENDIX 

the  consideration  for  the  larder  played  a  far  more  im- 
portant part  in  fixing  the  seasons  for  hunting  wild  beasts 
than  it  did  in  later  times,  the  object  being  to  kill  the 
game  when  in  the  primest  condition.  Beginning  with 
the — 

Red  deer  stag  :  according  to  Dryden's  Twici,  p.  24 
(source  not  given),  the  season  began  at  the  Nativity  of 
St.  John  the  Baptist  (June  24),  and  ended  Holyrood 
Day  (September  14).  Our  text  of  the  "Master  of 
Game  "  nowhere  expressly  states  when  the  stag-hunting 
begins  or  terminates,  but  as  he  speaks  of  how  to  judge  a 
hart  from  its  fumes  in  the  month  of  April  and  May  (p. 
30),  and  further  says  that  harts  run  best  from  the  "  entry 
of  May  into  St.  John's  tide"  (p.  35),  we  might  infer 
that  they  were  hunted  from  May  on.  He  also  says  that 
the  season  for  hind-hunting  begins  when  the  season  of 
the  hart  ends  and  lasteth  till  Lent.  But  as  this  part  of 
the  book  was  a  mere  translation  from  G.  de  F.  it  is  no 
certain  guide  to  the  hunting  seasons  in  England.  The 
Stag-hunting  season  in  France,  the  cervaison,  as  it  was 
called,  began  at  the  Sainte  Croix  de  Mai  (May  3rd)  and 
lasted  to  la  Sainte  Croix  de  Septembre  (Holyrood  Day, 
Sept.  14),  the  old  French  saying  being:  "Mi  Mai,  mi 
teste,  mi  Juin,  mi  graisse  ;  à  la  Magdeleine  venaison  pleine  " 
(July  22)  (Menagier  de  Paris,  ii.).  And  although  the 
stag  was  probably  chiefly  hunted  in  England  between 
Midsummer  and  the  middle  of  September,  when  they 
are  in  the  best  condition,  and  it  was  considered  the  best 
time  to  kill  them,  they  were  probably  hunted  from  May 
on  in  the  early  days  in  England  as  they  were  in  France. 
Had  this  not  been  customary  we  imagine  the  Duke  of 
York  would  have  inserted  one  of  his  little  interpolations 
in  the  text  he  was  translating,  and  stated  that  although 
the  season  began  in  May  beyond  the  sea,  it  only  began 
later  in  England. 

In  Twety  and  Gyfford  we  read  that  the  "tyme  of 
grece,  begynnyth  allé  way  atte  the  fest  of  the  Nativyte 
of  Saynt  Johan  baptist."    Later  on,  according  to  Dryden, 


APPENDIX  255 

the  season  of  the  stag  began  two  weeks  after  Midsummer 

(July  8). 

Red  deer  hindy  Holyrood  Day  (Sept.  14)  to  Candlemas 
(Feb.  2)  (Twici,  p.  24;  Man.,  p.  181).  According  to 
others  the  hind  and  the  doe  season  ends  on  Twelfth-day 
or  Epiphany  (Jan.  6). 

Fallow  deer  buck.  According  to  the  Forest  Laws  the 
season  began  at  the  Nativity  of  St.  John  (June  24)  and 
ended  on  Holyrood  Day  (Sept.  14).  Dryden  adds  a 
second  date,  i.e.  two  weeks  after  Midsummer,  to  the 
former,  but  does  not  quote  the  source. 

Fallow  doe  was  hunted  from  Holyrood  Day  (Sept.  14) 
to  Candlemas  (Feb.  2). 

Roe  deer  buck  was  hunted  from  Easter  to  Michaelmas 
(Sept.  29). 

Roe  doey  Michaelmas  to  Candlemas. 

Hare.  According  to  the  Forest  Laws  (Man.,  176)  the 
season  commenced  Michaelmas  (Sept.  29)  and  ended  at 
Midsummer  (June  24)  ;  Dryden  in  his  notes  in  Twici 
states  that  it  commenced  at  Michaelmas  and  ended  at 
Candlemas  (Feb.  2),  while  the  "Boke  of  St.  Albans  "  gives 
the  same  date  as  the  first-named  in  Manwood.  Accord- 
ing to  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  the  hare  seems  to  have 
enjoyed  no  close  season,  as  G.  de  F.'s  assertion  that  the 
hunting  of  the  hare  "  lasteth  all  the  year  "  is  also  trans- 
lated without  comment  (p.  14)  :  Et  le  peut  chassier  toute 
F  année,  en  quelque  temps  que  ce  soit  quar  touzjours  sa  sayson 
dure  (G  de  F.,  p.  204). 

In  Twety  and  Gyfford  we  also  find  that  "  The  hare 
is  alway  in  season  to  be  chasyd." 

In  the  sixteenth  century  in  France  the  hare-hunting 
season  was  from  the  middle  of  September  till  the  middle 
of  April  (Du  Fouilloux,  p.  51  ;  De  Noir.,  ii.  p.  476). 
In  England  the  same  season  seems  to  have  been  observed 
(Blome,  p.  91). 

Wild  boar.  According  to  the  Forest  Laws  (Manwood 
and  Twici),  the  boar  was  hunted  from  Christmas  Day 
to  Candlemas  (Feb.  2),  but  we  have  evidence  that  boar- 


256  APPENDIX 

hunting  usually  began  earlier.  The  boar  was  in  his 
prime  condition  when  acorns,  beechmast,  and  chest- 
nuts were  plentiful,  and  was  considered  in  season  from 
Michaelmas  to  St.  Martin's  Day  (Roy  Modus,  xxxi.), 
and  by  some  even  from  Holyrood  Day  (Bornam,  p.  100  ; 
Part,  de  Blois,  525). 

The  huntsmen  of  King  John  of  England  were  sent 
to  hunt  in  the  forest  of  Cnappe  in  order  to  take  two 
or  three  boars  a  day  in  November.  King  John's  letter 
giving  instructions  on  this  point  to  one  Rowland  Bloet 
is  dated  8th  November  12 15  (Jesse,  ii.  32). 

Wolf,  According  to  the  Forest  Laws,  in  the  book 
already  quoted,  the  season  during  which  the  wolf  was 
hunted  began  at  Christmas  and  ended  at  the  Annuncia- 
tion (March  25),  but  considering  the  destruction  wrought 
by  this  beast  it  is  far  more  likely  that  it  was  hunted 
throughout  the  year. 

Fox.  According  to  the  Forest  Laws  the  season  opened 
on  Christmas  Day  and  ended  on  March  25,  but  never- 
theless the  fox  was  hunted  early  in  the  autumn,  for  we 
have  it  on  Twety  and  Gyfford's  authority  that  "the 
sesoun  of  the  fox  begynneth  at  the  natyvite  of  owre 
Lady,  and  durryth  til  the  Annunciacion  "  (Sept.  8  to 
March  25). 

The  "  Boke  of  St.  Albans  "  gives  the  season  of  the 
fox  and  wolf  from  the  Nativity  to  the  Annunciation  of 
Our  Lady  and  that  of  the  boar  from  the  Nativity  to 
the  Purification  of  Our  Lady.  Manwood  and  other 
accepted  authorities  quote  the  above  as  alluding  to  the 
Nativity  of  Christ,  whereas  the  Nativity  of  Our  Lady, 
Sept.  8,  was  intended,  thereby  creating  some  confusion. 

According  to  the  Wardrobe  Accounts  of  Edward  I. 
the  foxhunting  season  began  on  1st  September  (Ward. 
Ace.  Ed.  I.  1299-1300). 

No  doubt  one  of  the  reasons  why  the  fox  was  not 
hunted  earlier  in  the  year  was  on  account  of  the  fur, 
which  was  of  course  of  less  use  or  value  if  obtained  in 
summer. 


APPENDIX  257 

Otter.  The  Forest  Laws  give  the  season  as  from 
Shrove  Tide  (Feb.  22)  to  Midsummer  (June  24),  but 
we  find  that  in  King  John's  reign  the  otter  was  hunted 
in  July  (Close  Rolls  14  John  I.). 

Martin,  badger,  and  rabbit  were  hunted  at  all  seasons 
of  the  year. 

SNARES.  No  work  dealing  with  the  chase  of  wild 
animals  in  mediaeval  times  would  be  complete  were  it  to 
omit  all  reference  to  snares,  traps,  gins,  pitfalls,  and  other 
devices  to  take  game  other  than  by  hunting.  The 
"  Master  of  Game  "  mentions  the  subject  but  briefly, 
saying,  "  Truly  I  trow  no  good  hunter  would  slay  them 
so  for  no  good,"  but  "  Gaston  Phcebus  "  contains  seven- 
teen short  chapters  in  which  the  author  as  well  as  the 
miniaturist  describe  the  various  contrivances  then  in 
use,  although  the  same  disdain  of  these  unsportsmanlike 
methods  is  expressed  by  G.  de  F.  that  marks  the  Duke 
of  York's  pages.  In  the  first  edition  of  the  present 
work  will  be  found  descriptions  of  the  principal  snares 
used  in  the  Middle  Ages. 

SPANIEL.  It  is  difficult  to  say  at  what  date  these 
dogs  were  first  introduced  into  our  country  ;  we  only 
know  that  by  the  second  half  of  the  sixteenth  century 
spaniels  were  a  common  dog  in  England.  In  Dr.  Caius's 
time  the  breed  was  "  in  full  being."  He  mentions  land 
spaniels,  setters,  and  water  spaniels,  besides  the  small 
spaniels  which  were  kept  as  pet  and  lap  dogs.  That  the 
breed  was  not  then  a  recent  importation  we  may  infer 
from  the  fact  that,  when  speaking  of  the  water  spaniel 
and  giving  the  derivation  of  the  name,  Dr.  Caius  says  : 
"  Not  that  England  wanted  suche  kmde  of  dogges  (for 
they  are  naturally  bred  and  ingendered  in  this  country). 
But  because  they  beare  the  general  and  common  name 
of  these  dogs  synce  the  time  when  they  were  first  brought 
over  out  of  Spaine." 

The  chapter  in  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  on  this  dog, 

R 


258  APPENDIX 

being  translated  from  G.  de  F.,  unfortunately  throws  no 
light  on  the  history  of  the  spaniel  in  England,  although 
we  imagine  that,  had  there  been  no  such  hounds  in  our 
island  at  the  time,  the  Duke  would  have  made  some 
such  remark  as  he  has  in  other  parts  of  his  book  of  their 
being  a  "manner  of"  hound  as  "men  have  beyond  the 
sea,  but  not  as  we  have  here  in  England." 

In  his  time  the  spaniel  had  enjoyed  popularity  in 
France  for  some  two  centuries,  and  there  was  such  con- 
tinual communication  between  France  and  England  in 
the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  centuries  that  it  would 
have  been  indeed  strange  if  this  most  useful  dog  for 
the  then  favourite  and  universal  sport  of  hawking  had 
not    been    brought  to  England    Ions;    before    his   time. 

o  q  o 

We  may  conclude  that  the  "gentle  hounds  for  the 
hawk"  of  which  he  speaks  in  his  Prologue  were  not 
spaniels. 

SPAY. .  The  usual  meaning  of  this  word  (castrating 
females)  given  in  all  dictionaries  is  clearly  inapplicable 
on  this  occasion  (p.  174),  where  it  undoubtedly  means 
killing  a  stag  with  a  sword,  probably  derived  from  the 
Italian  spada.  When  the  velvet  was  once  off  the  antlers 
the  stag  at  bay  was  usually  despatched  with  the  bow,  for 
it  was  then  dangerous  to  approach  him  close  enough  to 
do  so  with  the  sword.  When  achieved  by  bold  hunters, 
as  it  occasionally  was,  it  was  accounted  a  feat  of  skill  and 
courage. 

STABLES.  O.  F.  establie^  a  garrison,  a  station. 
Huntsmen  and  kennelmen  with  hounds  in  leash,  whose 
duty  it  was  to  take  up  a  post  or  stand  assigned  to  them 
during  the  chase,  were  called  stables.  We  have  Stabtli- 
tiones  venationis  that  are  mentioned  in  Domesday  (i.  fol. 
56b  and  fol.  252).  In  Ellis's  introduction  to  Domesday 
he  says  :  "  Stabiiitio  meant  stalling  the  deer.  To  drive 
the  Deer  and  other  Game  from  all  quarters  to  the  centre 
of  a  gradually  contracted  circle  where  they  were  com- 


APPENDIX  259 

pelled  to  stand,  was  stabilitio"  Malmesbury,  Scriptores, 
post  Bedam,  edit.  1596,  p.  44,  speaking  of  the  mildness 
of  Edward  the  Confessor's  temper,  says,  "  Dum  quadam 
vice  venatum  isset,  et  agrestis  quidam  Stabulata  ilia,  quibus 
in  casses  cervi  urgentur,  confudisset,  tile  sua  nobili  percitus  ira, 
per  Deumy  inquit,  et  matrem  ejus  ta n tun d em  tibi  nocebo,  si 
potero"  (Ellis,  i.  112). 

We  see,  however,  at  a  later  date  from  Twici  and 
the  "  Master  of  Game  "  that  the  watchers  or  stables  they 
allude  to  were  stationary — and  did  not  drive  the  game  as 
described  in  above. 

These  stations  of  huntsmen  and  hounds  were  placed 
at  intervals  round  the  quarter  of  the  forest  to  be  driven 
or  hunted  in  with  hounds  to  move  the  game,  so  that  the 
hounds  could  be  slipped  at  any  game  escaping  ;  some- 
times they  were  to  make  a  noise,  and  thus  blench  or 
head  the  game  back.  In  French  such  a  chase  was  called 
a  Chasse  à  titre  (Lav.  xxviii.),  the  word  titre  meaning  net 
or  tape,  but  in  this  case  used  figuratively.  Our  "  Master 
of  Game  "  evidently  placed  these  stations  to  keep  the 
game  within  the  boundaries  so  as  to  force  it  to  pass  the 
stand  of  the  King.  Twici  describes  these  stations  of 
huntsmen,  using  the  word  establie.  "The  bounds  are 
those  which  are  set  up  of  archers,  and  of  greyhounds 
(lefrers  et  de  establie)  and  watchers,  and  on  that  account  I 
have  blown  one  moot  and  recheated  on  the  hounds. 
You  hunter,  do  you  wish  to  follow  the  chase  ?  Yes,  if 
that  beast  should  be  one  that  is  hunted  up  {enquillee),  or 
chased  I  will  follow  it.  If  so  it  should  happen  that  the 
hounds  should  be  gone  out  of  bounds  then  I  wish  to 
blow  a  moot  and  stroke  after  my  hounds  to  have  them 
back  "  (Twici,  p.  6). 

It  was  the  duty  of  certain  tenantsto  attend  the  King's 
hunts  and  act  as  part  of  the  stable.  In  Hereford  one 
person  went  from  each  house  to  the  stand  or  station  in 
the  wood  at  the  time  of  the  survey  (Gen.  Introduction 
Domesday,  Ellis,  i.  195).  From  Shrewsbury  the  principal 
burgesses  who  had  horses  attended  the  King  when  he 


26o  APPENDIX 

went  hunting,  and  the  sheriff  sent  thirty-six  men  on  foot 
to  the  deer-stand  while  the  King  remained  there. 

Stable-stand  was  the  place  where  these  stables  were 
posted  or  "  set,"  and  the  word  was  also  used  to  denote 
the  place  where  archers  were  posted  to  shoot  at  driven 
game.  Such  stands  were  raised  platforms  in  some  drive 
or  on  some  boundary  of  the  forest,  sometimes  erected 
between  the  branches  of  a  tree,  so  that  the  sportsman 
could  be  well  hidden.  A  good  woodcut  of  what  was 
probably  intended  to  represent  a  "stand"  is  in  the  first 
edition  of  Turbervile's  "  Arte  of  Vénerie,"  representing 
Queen  Elizabeth  receiving  her  huntsman's  report. 

There  is  no  mention  made  of  raised  stands  in  our  text, 
but  with  or  without  such  erections  the  position  taken  up 
by  the  shooters  to  await  the  game  was  called  his  standing 
or  tryste,  and  a  bower  of  branches  was  made,  to  shelter 
the  occupant  from  sun  and  rain,  as  well  as  to  hide  him 
from  the  game.  Such  arbours  were  called  Berceau  or 
Berceil  in  Old  French,  from  the  word  berser,  to  shoot  with 
a  bow  and  arrow  ;  they  were  also  called  ramiers  and  folies, 
from  rames  or  branches,  and  folia,  leaves,  with  which 
they  were  made  or  disguised  (Noir.,  iii.  p.  354). 

Manwood  tells  us  that  Stable-stand  was  one  of  four 
"  manners  in  which  if  a  man  were  found,  in  the  forest, 
he  could  be  arrested  as  a  poacher  or  trespasser,"  and  says  : 
"  Stable-stand  is  where  one  is  found  at  his  standing  ready 
to  shoot  at  any  Deer,  or  standing  close  by  a  tree  with 
Greyhounds  in  his  leash  ready  to  let  slip  "  (Man.,  p.  193). 

STANKES,  or  layes  ;  tanks  or  pools,  large  meers. 
Gaston  says  :  Estancs  et  autres  mares  ou  marrhès  (G.  de  F., 
p.  21).  Stank  house  was  a  moated  house.  A  ditch  or 
moat  filled  with  water  was  called  a  tank. 

TACHE,  or  tecche,  Mid.  Eng.  for  a  habit,  especially 
a  bad  habit,  vice,  freak,  caprice,  behaviour,  from  the 
O.  F.  tache,  a  spot,  a  stain,  or  blemish  ;  also  a  disgrace,  a 
blot  on  a  man's  good  name.     In  the  older  use  it  was 


APPENDIX  261 

applied  both  to  good  as  well  as  bad  qualities,  as  in  our 
text. 

TAW,  to  makes  hides  into  leather  ;  tawer,  the  maker 
of  white  leather.  In  the  fourteenth  and  early  fifteenth 
centuries,  in  the  days  of  the  strict  guilds,  a  sharp  line 
was  drawn  between  tawers  and  tanners,  and  a  tawer  was 
not  allowed  to  tan  nor  a  tanner  to  taw  (Wylie,  vol.  iii. 
p.  195).  No  tawers  were  allowed  to  live  in  the  Forest 
according  to  the  ancient  forest  laws. 

"  If  any  white  Tawer  live  in  a  Forest,  he  shall  be  re- 
moved and  pay  a  Fine,  for  they  are  the  common  dressers 
of  skins  of  stolen  deer"  (Itin.  Lane.  fol.  7,  quoted  by 
Manwood,  p.  161). 

TEAZER,  or  teaser.  "  A  kind  of  mongrel  greyhound 
whose  business  is  to  drive  away  the  deer  before  the 
Greyhounds  are  slipt,"  is  the  definition  given  by  Blome 
(p.  96).  These  dogs  were  used  to  hunt  up  the  game 
also  when  the  deer  was  to  be  shot  with  the  bow.  The 
sportsmen  would  be  standing  at  their  trysts  or  stable- 
stand  in  some  alley  or  glade  of  the  wood,  and  the  hounds 
be  put  into  the  covert  or  park  "to  tease  them  forth" 

TRACE,  slot,  or  footprint  of  deer.  In  O.  F.  and 
Ang.-N.  literature  the  word  trace  seems  to  have  been 
used  indifferently  for  the  track  of  the  stag,  wild  boar,  or 
any  game  (Borman,  notes  147,  236,  237).  G.  de  F.  ex- 
pressly says  that  the  footprint  of  the  deer  should  not  be 
called  trace  but  voyes  or  pies  (view  or  foot),  yet  the 
"  Master  of  Game  "  in  his  rendering  says  :  "  Of  the  hart 
ye  shall  say  l  trace,'  "  so  evidently  that  was  the  proper 
sporting  term  in  England  at  the  time.  When  slot  en- 
tirely superseded  the  word  trace  amongst  sportsmen  it  is 
difficult  to  determine.  Turbervile  uses  slot,  and  in  the 
beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century  it  seems  the  general 
term  for  the  footprint  of  deer  (Man.,  p.  180  ;  Stuart 
Glossary,  vol.  ii.  ;  Blome,  p.  76).     Slot,  it  may  be  con- 


262  APPENDIX 

tended,  is  as  old  a  word  as  trace,  but  in  Mid.  Eng.  it 
was  employed  as  a  general  term  for  a  foot-track  or  mark- 
ing of  any  animal.  The  trace  or  slot  was  one  of  the 
signs  of  a  stag,  that  is  the  mark  by  which  an  experienced 
huntsman  could  recognise  the  age,  size,  and  sex  of  the 
deer. 

The  old  stag  leaves  a  blunter  print  with  a  wider  heel 
than  a  hind,  but  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  the  slot  of  a 
hind  from  that  of  a  young  stag.  Although  the  latter  has 
invariably  a  bigger  heel  and  makes  deeper  marks  with 
his  dewclaws,  yet  his  toes  are  narrow  and  pointed,  their 
edges  are  sharp,  and  the  distance  between  his  steps  is 
somewhat  unequal,  all  of  which  may  lead  his  slotting  to 
be  mistaken  for  the  tracks  of  a  hind.  "  He  has  found 
what  he  wanted,"  says  Dr.  Collyns,  when  speaking  of 
the  harbourer,  "the  rounded  track,  the  blunted  toe 
point,  the  widespread  mark,  the  fresh  slot,  in  short,  of  a 
stag  "  ("  Chase  of  the  Red  Deer  "). 

The  huntsman  of  old  used  to  consider  that  any  slot 
into  which  four  fingers  could  be  placed  with  ease  be- 
longed to  a  warrantable  stag  (some  declared  a  stag  of 
ten).  That  would  mean  that  the  slot  would  be  about 
three  inches  wide,  if  not  more.  I  believe  two  and  a  half 
inches  is  considered  a  fair  measurement  for  mark  of  the 
heel  by  Devonshire  stag-hunters,  who  alone  in  England 
concern  themselves  with  the  differences  in  the  slot,  as 
they  only  chase  the  wild  deer.  No  such  woodcraft  is 
necessary  for  the  chase  of  the  carted  deer,  and  as  long  as 
the  master  and  huntsman  can  distinguish  the  footprint  of 
a  deer  from  that  of  any  other  animal,  that  is  all  that  is 
required  of  them  in  this  matter.  The  stepping  or  gait 
of  a  stag  is  also  a  sign  that  was  taken  into  consideration. 
The  old  stag  walks  more  equally,  and  generally  places 
the  point  of  his  hind  feet  in  the  heel  of  his  fore  feet. 
The  gait  of  a  hind  is  more  uncertain  ;  it  is  said  she  mis- 
prints, that  is  sometimes  the  hind  foot  will  be  placed 
beside  the  fore  foot,  sometimes  inside  or  in  front  of  it. 
She  is  not  even  so  regular  in  her  gait  as  a  young  stag, 


APPENDIX  263 

unless  she  is  with  fawn,  when  she  will  place  her  hind 
feet  constantly  outside  her  fore  feet.  A  hind  walks  with 
wide-spreading  claws,  so  does  a  young  stag  with  his  fore 
feet,  but  those  of  his  hind  feet  will  be  closed.  The 
larger  the  print  of  the  fore  feet  are  in  comparison  to  the 
hind  feet  the  older  the  stag. 

The  underneath  edge  of  the  claws  round  the  hollow 
of  the  sole  was  called  the  esponde  (sponde,  edge  or  border). 
In  older  stags  they  were  blunter  and  more  worn,  and  in 
hinds  and  younger  deer  sharper,  unless  indeed  the  stag 
inhabited  a  damp  and  mossy  country,  where  the  esponde 
would  not  be  so  much  worn  down  as  if  he  lived  on  a 
rocky  or  stony  ground.  (G.  de  F.,  155,  129-145  ;  Lav., 
p.  246;  Stuart,  p.  58;  Fortescue,  p.  133).  And  thus 
did  the  woodmen  of  old  study  the  book  of  nature,  which 
told  them  all  they  wished  to  know,  and  found  for  them 
better  illustrations  than  any  art  could  give. 

TRYST,  in  the  language  of  sport,  was  the  place  or 
stand  where  the  hunter  took  up  his  position  to  await  the 
game  he  wished  to  shoot.  The  game  might  be  driven 
to  him  by  hounds,  or  he  might  so  place  himself  as  to 
shoot  as  the  game  went  to  and  from  their  lair  to  their 
pasturing  {see  Appendix  :  Stables  and  Stable-stand).  In 
French  it  was  called  shooting  à  Paffut,  from  ad  fust  em  y 
near  the  wood,  because  the  shooter  leant  his  back  to,  or 
hid  behind  a  tree,  so  that  the  game  should  not  see  him. 

In  our  MS.  we  are  told  that  Alaunts  are  good  for 
hunting  the  wild  boar  whether  it  be  with  greyhounds, 
at  the  "  tryst,"  or  with  running  hounds  at  bay  within 
the  covert.  The  tryst  here  would  be  the  place  where  a 
man  would  be  stationed  to  slip  the  dogs  at  the  wild  boar 
as  soon  as  he  broke  covert,  or  after  the  huntsman  had 
wounded  the  boar  with  a  shot  from  his  long  or  cross- 
bow (p.  118). 

VELTRES,  ve/teres,  veltrai.  A  dog  used  for  the 
chase,  a  hound.     Probably  derived  from  the  Gaelic  words 


264  APPENDIX 

ver,  large  or  long,  and  traith,  a  step  or  course,  vertragus 
being  the  name  by  which  according  to  Arian,  the  Gauls 
designated  a  swift  hound  (Blanc,  52). 

WANLACE.  Winding  in  the  chase  (Halliwell).  In 
the  sentence  in  which  this  word  is  used  in  the  chapter 
on  the  Mastiff  (p.  122)  we  are  told  that  some  of  these  dogs 
"  fallen  to  be  berslettis  and  also  to  bring  well  and  fast  a 
wanlace  about."  Which  probably  means  that  some  of 
these  dogs  become  shooting  dogs,  and  could  hunt  up  the 
game  to  the  shooter  well  and  fast  by  ranging  or  circling. 
Wanlasour  is  an  obsolete  name  for  one  who  drives  game 
(Strat.). 

In  Brit.  Mus.  MS.  Lansdowne  285  there  is  an  interest- 
ing reference  to  setting  the  forest  "  with  archers  or  with 
Greyhounds  or  with  Wanlassours." 

WILD  BOAR.  These  animals  were  denizens  of 
the  British  forests  from  the  most  remote  ages,  and  pro- 
bably were  still  numerous  there  at  the  time  our  MS.  was 
penned.  For  although  the  Duke  of  York  has  only  trans- 
lated one  of  the  eleven  chapters  relating  to  the  natural 
history,  chase,  or  capture  by  traps  of  the  wild  boar,  and 
does  not  give  us  any  original  remarks  upon  the  hunting 
of  them,  as  he  has  of  the  stag  and  the  hare,  still  it  was 
most  likely  because  he  considered  these  two  the  royal 
sport  par  excellence,  and  not  because  there  were  none  to 
hunt  in  England  in  his  day.  If  the  latter  had  been  the 
case,  he  would  in  all  probability  have  omitted  even  the 
chapter  he  does  give  us,  as  he  has  done  with  those  written 
by  Gaston  de  Foix  on  the  deer,  the  reindeer,  and  the  ibex 
and  chamois  (p.  160). 

In  some  doggerel  verses  which  are  prefixed  to  "  Le 
venery  de  Twety  and  Gyfford  "  (in  Vesp.  B.  XII.),  the 
wild  boar  is  classed  as  a  beast  of  venery.  In  the  "  Boke 
of  St.  Albans  "  the  wild  boar  is  also  mentioned  as  a  beast 
of venery. 

When  Fitzstephen  wrote  his  description  of  London  in 


APPENDIX  265 

1 174,  he  says  wild  boars  as  well  as  other  animals  fre- 
quented the  forests  surrounding  London,  and  it  would 
certainly  be  a  long  time  after  this  before  these  animals 
could  have  been  extirpated  from  the  wild  forests  in  more 
remote  parts  of  the  country. 

Sounder  is  the  technical  term  for  a  herd  of  wild  swine. 
"  How  many  herdes  be  there  of  bestes  of  venery  ?  Sire 
of  hertis,  or  bisses,  of  bukkes  and  of  doos.  A  soundre 
of  wylde  swyne.  A  bevy  of  Roos  "  (Twety  and  Gyf- 
ford).  In  the  French  Twici  we  have  also  Soundre  dez 
pores. 

Farrow  (Sub.)  was  a  term  for  a  young  pig,  in  Mid. 
Eng.  farh,  far,  Old  Eng.  fearh  (Strat.).  Farrow  (verb) 
was  the  term  used  when  sows  gave  birth  to  young. 

G.  de  F.  says  that  wild  boars  can  wind  acorns  as  far 
as  a  bear  can  (p.  58),  and  turning  to  his  chapter  on  bears, 
we  find  that  he  says  that  bears  will  wind  a  feeding  of 
acorns  six  leagues  off  ! 

Routing  or  rooting.  A  wild  boar  is  said  to  root 
when  he  is  feeding  on  ferns  or  roots  (Turb.,  pp.  153, 

154). 

Argus,  as  our  MS.  calls  the  dew-claws  of  the  boar,  were 
in  the  later  language  of  venery  called  the  gards  (Blome, 
p.  102).  Twety  and  Gyffbrd  named  the  dew-claws  of 
the  stag  os  and  of  the  boar  ergos.  "  How  many  bestis 
bere  os,  and  how  many  ergos  ?  The  hert  berith  os  above, 
the  boor  and  the  buk  berith  ergos." 

Grease,  as  the  fat  of  the  boar  or  sow  was  called,  was 
supposed  to  bear  medicinal  qualities.  "And  fayre  put 
the  grece  whan  it  is  take  away,  In  the  bledder  of  the 
boore  my  chylde  I  yow  pray,  For  it  is  a  médecine  :  for 
mony  maner  pyne  "  ("  Boke  of  St.  Albans  "). 

WILD  CAT  [Felts  Catus),  which  at  one  time  was 
extremely  common  in  England,  was  included  among  the 
beasts  of  the  chase.  It  is  frequently  mentioned  in  royal 
grants  giving  liberty  to  enclose  forest-land  and  licence  to 
hunt  therein. 


266  APPENDIX 

It  was  probably  more  for  its  skin  than  for  diversion 
that  the  wild  cat  was  hunted,  as  its  fur  was  much  used 
for  trimming  dresses  at  one  time. 

The  wild  cat  is  believed  to  be  now  extinct,  not  only 
in  England  and  Wales,  but  in  a  great  part  of  the  South 
of  Scotland.  A  writer  in  the  new  edition  of  the  Encyclo- 
paedia Britannica  (art.  "  Cat  ")  expresses  the  opinion  that 
the  wild  cat  still  exists  in  Wales  and  in  the  North  of 
England,  but  gives  no  proof  of  its  recent  occurrence 
there. 

Harvie-Brown  in  his  "Vertebrate  Fauna  of  Argyll" 
(1892)  defines  the  limit  of  the  range  of  the  wild  cat  by 
a  line  drawn  from  Oban  to  Inverness  ;  northward  and 
westward  of  this  line,  he  states,  the  animal  still  existed. 
But  there  is  no  doubt  that  of  late  years  the  cessation  of 
vermin  trapping  in  many  parts  of  Scotland,  which  has 
caused  a  marked  increase  in  the  golden  eagle,  has  had 
the  same  effect  upon  the  wild  cat. 

The  natural  history  chapter  of  the  wild  cat  is  taken 
by  the  Duke  of  York  from  G.  de  F.  ;  did  we  not  know 
this,  some  confusion  might  have  arisen  through  the  fact 
being  mentioned  that  there  are  several  kinds  of  wild 
cat,  whereas  only  one  was  known  to  the  British  Isles. 
G.  de  F.  says  there  were  wild  cats  as  large  as  leopards 
which  went  by  the  name  of  loups-serviers  or  cat  wolves, 
both  of  which  names  he  declares  to  be  misnomers.  He 
evidently  refers  to  the  Felis  Lynx  or  Lynx  vulgaris,  which 
he  properly  classes  as  a  "  manner  of  wild  cat,"  although 
some  of  the  ancient  writers  have  classed  them  as  wolves 
(Pliny,  Lib.  viii.  cap.  34). 

WOLF.  For  a  long  time  it  was  a  popular  delusion 
that  wolves  had  been  entirely  exterminated  in  England 
and  Wales  in  the  reign  of  the  Saxon  King  Edgar  (956— 
957),  but  Mr.  J.  E.  Harting  has  by  his  researches  proved 
beyond  doubt  that  they  existed  some  centuries  later,  and 
did  not  entirely  disappear  until  the  reign  of  Henry  VII. 
(1485-1509). 


APPENDIX  267 

WORMING  A  DOG.  This  was  supposed  to  be 
a  preventive  to  the  power  of  a  mad  dog's  bite.  It  was 
a  superstition  promulgated  in  very  early  times,  and  seems 
to  have  been  believed  in  until  comparatively  recent  times. 
We  find  it  repeated  in  one  book  of  venery  after  another, 
French,  English,  and  German  :  in  England  by  our 
author,  Turberviie,  Markham,  and  others. 

Pliny  suggests  this  operation,  and  he  quotes  Columna 
as  to  the  efficacy  of  cutting  off  a  dog's  tail  when  he  is 
very  young  (Pliny,  chap.  xli.). 

G.  de  F.  and  the  Duke  of  York  are  careful  to  say 
that  they  only  give  the  remedy  for  what  it  is  worth, 
the  latter  saying  :  "  Thereof  make  I  no  affirmation,"  and 
further  on  :  "  Notwithstanding  that  men  call  it  a  worm 
it  is  but  a  great  vein  that  hounds  have  underneath  their 
tongue"  (p.  87). 


LIST   OF   SOME   BOOKS   CONSULTED 
AND  ABBREVIATIONS  USED  IN  TEXT 


Albertus  Magnus.     De  Animalibus.     Ed.  1788. 

The  Secrets  of.     London,  161 7. 

Ancient  Laws  and  Institutes  of  Wales.     1841. 

of  Caitibria.     E.Williams.     1823. 

Anc.  Ten.,  for  Ancient  Tenures  of  Land.    By  Thomas  Blount. 

London,  1874. 
Andrese,  E.  C.  A.    Die  Geschichte  der  Jagd.   Frankfurt,  1894. 
Archœologia.     Pub.  by  Soc.  of  Antiq.     Beginning  1770. 
Arcussia,  Ch.  d'.     La  Confer e7ice  des  Fauconniers  {Cab.  de 

Vénerie,  vii.).     1880. 
Arkwright,  for  The  Pointer  and  his  Predecessor.     By  William 

A.     London,  1902.     4to.     See  Bibliog.  in  1st  edit. 
Arrow  Release,  The.     By  Ed.  S.  Morse.     1885. 
Aymon,  for  Le  Roman  des  quatres  fils  Aymon.     Edit.  P. 

Tarbé.     1861. 

Bad.  Lib.  Hunt,  for  "  Badminton  Library."     Volume  on 

Hunting  by  the  Duke  of  Beaufort  and  Mowbray  Morris. 

Ed.  7.    London,  1901.    Errors  in,  see  Bibliog.  in  1st  edit. 
vol.  on  The  Poetry  of  Sport.     London,  1896.     Errors 

in,  see  Bibliog.  in  1st  edit. 
Bangert,  for  Die  Tiere  des  Altfranz.  Epos.     Von    Fried. 

Bangert.     Marburg,  1885. 
Barrière-Flavy,  C.     Censier  du  pays  de  Poix.     Toulouse, 

1898. 
Barthold,  F.  W.     Georg  von  Frundsberg.     1833. 
Bastard,  A.  de.     Libraire  du  duc  de  Berry.     Paris,  1834. 
Baudrillart,  for  Traite  des  Eaux  et  Forêts,  Chasse  et  Pêches. 

Par  M.  B.     Paris,  1834. 
Beckford,  for  Thoughts  upon  Hare  and  Fox  Hunting.     By 

Peter  B.     London,  1796. 

268 


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Beltz,  G.  F.     Memorials  of  the  Garter.     1841. 

Berg,  L.  F.  Freiherr.    Gesch.  derdentschen  Wiilder.    Dresden, 

1871. 
Bertheleti,  T.,  General  Collectiofis  of  Statutes,  1 225-1546. 

London,  1543-51. 
Bib.  Accip.,  for  Bibliotheca  Accipitraria.     By  James  Edm. 

Harting.     London,  1891. 
Blancandin,  ed.  H.  V.  Michelant.     1867. 
Blane,  for  Cynegetica,  or  Observations  on  Hare  Hunting.    By 

W.  B.     London,  1788. 
Blaze,  Elezear.     Catalogue  d'ime  Collection.     Paris,  1852. 

Le  Livre  du  Roy  Modus.     Paris,  1839. 

Blome,  for  The  Gentleman's  Recreation.    By  Richard  Blome. 

London,  1686. 
Blount,  T.     A  Law  Dictionary  and  Glossary.     1717. 
Bodl.  MS.  546,  for  the  MS.  of  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  in 

the  Bodleian  Library  at  Oxford.     See  "  Existing  MSS. 

of  the  '  Master  of  Game  '  "  ;  see  Bibliog.  in  1st  edit. 
Borman,  for  Die  Jagd  in  den  Altfranz.  Artus  und  Abenteuer 

Romanen.     Von  Ernst  Borman.     Marburg,  1887. 
Boldon  Book,  for  Chronicles  and  Memorials  of  Great  Britain 

and  Ireland  (vol.  iii.).  By  Sir  Th.  Duffus-Hardy.   London, 

i875. 
B.  of  St.  Albans,  for  The  Boke  of  St.  Albans.     Edit,   by 

William  Blades.    London,  1881.    See  Bibliog.  in  1st  edit. 
"  B.  ofC."  for  Boke  of  Curtasye.     14th  cent.  poem.     Pub. 

by  I.  O.  Halliwell.     Percy  Soc.  vol.  iv. 
Bonney,    for  Historic  Notices  on  Fotheringhay.      By  Rev. 

H.  K.  B.     Oundle,  1821. 
Borel,    P.,    Dictio?maire    des    termes    du    vieux    François. 

2  vols.  1882. 
Bouton,  Victor.     H  Auteur  du  Roy  Modus.     Paris,  1888. 
Brachet,  Ang.      An  Etymological  Dictionary  of  the  French 

Language  (Clarendon  Press).     1866. 
Brehm,   for   B.'s   Tierleben.      3.    ed:     Von    Dr.   Pechuel- 

Loesche.     Leipzig  and  Wien,  1891. 
Brèzé,    Jacque     de.     La    Chasse   du   grand  Sénéschal  de 

Normandye.     Paris,  between  1489  and  1494. 
Brière,  L.  de  la.    Livre  de  Frieres  par  Gaston  Phébus  (1835). 

Paris,  1893. 
Broebel,  P.     Die  Fdhrte  des  Hirsches.     Halle,  1854. 


270      LIST    OF   BOOKS   CONSULTED 

Browne,    for    Pseudoxia    Epidemica.       By    Sir    Ths.    B. 

1650. 
Brut,  for  Le  Roman  de  Brut.     By  Wace.     Ed.  by  Le  Roux 

de  Lincy.     Rouen,  1836-38. 
Budé.     Traitte  de  la  Vénerie.     Par  B.     Ed.  H.  Chevreul 

(Paris).     1861. 
Burrows,  Montagu,  Prof.     The  Family  of  Br  ocas.     1886. 

Caius,  for  Englishe  Dogges.     By  Johannes  Caius.     Reprint 

of  ed.  of  1576.     1880. 
Camden,  W.     Britamiia.     1586. 
Canterbury  Tales,  Chaucer's.     Ed.  Furnivall.     1868. 
Castellamonte,     A.     di.       La     Venaria     reale.       Torino, 

1674. 
Catalogue  of  the  Duke  of  Marlborough's  Library  at  White 

Knight.     London,  18 19. 

■  London,  1881-83. 

Oxford,  1772. 

"  Cecil,"   for   Records   of  the    Chase.      By    "  Cecil,"   edit. 

London,  1877.     See  Bibliog.  in  1st  edit. 
Chaffourt,  Jacques  de.   Lnstructions.    Paris,  1609.    (2nd  ed.) 
Champgrand,  for  Traité  de  Vénerie  et  Chasse.     Par  Goury 

de  C.     Paris,  1769. 
Champollion-Figeac,  Aimi.   Louis  et  Charles,  ducs  d'  Orleans. 

Paris,  1844. 
Charles  d'Orléans,  for  Charles  de  Valois.     Les  poésies  du 

duc  Charles  d'Orléans.    Edit.  Champollion-Figeac.  Paris, 

1842. 
Charles  of  Orleans"  Poems.     Roxburgh    Club.     Ed. 

G.  W.  Taylor.     London,  1827. 

Edit,  by  Charles  d'He'ricault.     Paris,  1874. 


Chassant,  Alphonse.     L'Auteur  du  Livre  du  Roy  Modus. 

1869.     See  Bibliog.  in  1st  edit. 
Chaucer,  Minor  Poems.     Ed.  Furnivall.     187 1. 
Chézelles,  H.  de.      Vieille  Vénerie.     Paris,  1894. 
Chronique  de  la  traïson  de  Richard  LL.     Eng.  Hist.   Soc. 

1846. 
Cla.,  for  Li  Romans  de  Claris  et  Laris.     Ed.  by  Dr.  Alton. 

1884. 
Clam.     La    Chasse   du    loup.      Par  Jean   de   Clamorgan. 

Paris,  1566. 


LIST   OF   BOOKS   CONSULTED      271 

Close  Rolls,  for  Calendars  of  the  Close  Rolls  preserved  in  the 

Pub.  Rec.  Office. 
Codorniu,  J.    Etude  historique  sur  Gaston  Phœbus.    Floraux, 

1895. 
Cogho.     Des  Ersthngs  Geweih.     Leipzig,  1886. 
Collyns,  C.  P.     The  Chase  of  the  Wild  Red  Deer.    London, 

1862. 
Compleat  Angler.     See  Walton. 
Co?n.  Sports.,  for  The  Complete  Sportsman.     By  T.  Fairfax. 

London. 
Corneli,  R.     Die  Jagd.     Amsterdam,  1884. 
Cornish,  Ch.  J.    Shooting.    Ed.  by  Horace  G.  Hutchinson. 

2  vols.  (Newnes).     London,  1903. 
Cotgrave.     Dictionary.     1679. 
Cotgrave  and  Sherwood's  Dictionary.     1632. 

1673. 

Cox,     Nich.        The     Gentleman's     Recreation.       London, 

1674. 
Cran.  Ch.,  for  Anecdotes  and  History  of  Cranbourne  Chase. 

By  Wm.  Chafin.     London,  18 18. 
Culemann,  L.     Delineatio  Venatus.     Hanover,  1564. 
Cupples,   George.      Scotch  Deerhounds  and  their  Masters. 

London,  1894. 
Curmer,  L.      Verure  de  J.  Foncquet.     Paris,  1866. 
Curtasye,  Boke  of.     Ed.  by  Halliwell.      Percy   Soc.  Pub. 

Vol.  iv. 
Cynegetica.     London,  1788. 

Dalton,  Michael.  The  Country  Justice.  1666. 
Daniel,  W.  B.  Rural  Sports.  London,  1801. 
D.  et  B.,  for  Daurel  et  Beton.     Ed.  by  Paul  Meyer.     Paris, 

1880. 
Dalziel,    for   British   Dogs.      By  Hugh   Dalziel.      3   vols. 

London,  1887-96. 
Daiirel  et  Beton.     Ed.  Paul  Meyer.     Paris,  1880. 
Due  d'Aumale,  for  Recueil  de  la  Philobiblion  Society.     Vol. 

ii.     London,  1855-56. 
Delacourt,  for  Le  Chasse  à  la  Haie.     Par  Peigne  Delacourt. 

Péronne,  1872. 
Delisle,  L.     Inventaire  des  MSS.  de  la  Biblioth.  Nationale. 

Paris,  1876,  &c. 


272      LIST    OF   BOOKS   CONSULTED 

De  Noir.,  for  Histoire  de  la  Chasse.     Par  le  Baron  Dun  oyer 

de  Noirmont.     Paris,  1876.     3  vols. 
Dillon,  Viscount.    Fairholfs  Costumes  in  England.   London, 

1885. 
Ditschfield,  R.  H.     Old  English  Sport.     London,  1891. 
Doebel,  H.  W.    NeuerëffneteJàgerPractica.    Leipzig,  1783. 
Dolopathos,  for  Li  Romans  de  D.     Ed.  by  Brunet  et  Mon- 

taiglon.     1856. 
Dombrowski,  E.  von.     Die  Lehre  von  dem  Zeichen.     1836. 
Dombrowski,     R.     von.       Allgemeine     Encyklopadie     der 

gesammter  Forst  und  Jagdwissenschaft.     Wien,  1886. 
Domesday  Book.    By  Henry  Ellis  (2  vols.).    London,  1833. 
Drake,  Francis.     Eboracum.     London,  1736. 
Dry  den,  Alice.     Memorials  of  Northanipto?ishire.     1903. 
Dryden,  Sir  Henry.     Twici's  Art  of  Bunting.    Middle  Hill 

Press.     1840.     See  Bibliog.  in  1st  edit. 

Daventry.     1843. 

Gaston  III.     Le  livre  de  la  Chasse.     Daventry,  1844. 

Dudik.    Kaiser  Maximilian's  II.  Jagdordnung.    Wien,  1867. 
Du   Fouil.,  for  La  Vénerie.      Par  Jacques  du   Fouilloux. 

Niort,  1864. 
Dugdale  Bar.,  for  The  Baronage  of  England.     1675. 

Eglamoure,  for  The  Romance  of  E.  of  Artoys.     Camden 

Soc.     1844. 
Ellis.     See  Domesday  Book. 
Elyot,  Sir  Thomas.     The  Boke  named  the  Governour.     Ed. 

H.  H.  S.  Croft.     1880. 
Emmanuel  John,  Infant  of  Spain.     El  libro  de  la   Caza. 

Edit,  by  G.  Baist.     Halle,  1880. 
Ency.  of  Sport,  for  Encyclopaedia  of  Sport.     London,  1897. 
Enslin,  Th.  Ch.  Fr.    Bibliotheck  der  Forst  and  Jagdwissen- 
schaft.    Leipzig,  1823. 
Essenwein,  Augst.     Quellen  zur  Geschichte  der  Feuerwaffen. 

1872. 
Estlander,   T.,  for  Pieces  inédites   du  Roman   de  Tristan. 

Ed.  by  C.  G.  E.  Helsingfors.     1867. 
Evans,  D.  S.     An  English  and  Welsh  Diet.     1852-58. 
Ex.  Brit.  An.,  for  Extinct  British  Animals.      By  J.   E. 

Harting.     London,  1880. 
Excerpta  Historica.     London,  183 1. 


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Fleming,   H.    F.  von.      Der    Volkommene    Teiitsche  Jliger 

Leipzig,  1 7 19. 
Fortescue,   Hon.    J.  W.     Records  of  the  Stag-hunting  on 

Exmoor.     London,  1887. 
Foudras,    Marquis   de.      Récits  de   Chasseurs.      Bruxelles, 

1858. 
Fourtier,  A.     Les  grands  Louvetiers  de  France.     Paris. 
Frederic  IL  Reliquœ  liborum  Frederici  II.    August.  Vindob. 

1596. 
Frunsberg,  G.  v.     Schlacht  bet  Pavia.     1525. 

Gace  de  la  Buigne.     Bulletin  du  Bibliophile,  13th  series, 

by  the  Due  d'Aumale  ;  also  in  Philobiblion  Society,  vol.  ii. 

London.     See  Bibliog.  in  1st  edit. 
Garin  de  Loh.     Die  Geste  der  Loheraifts.     A.  Feist.     1884. 
Gamier,  P.     Chasse  du  Sanglier.     1876. 
Gaucheraud,  H.     Histoire  de  C.  de  Foix.     1834. 
Gawaine,  A  Collection  of  Ancient  Romance  Poems.     Edit,  by 

Sir  Fred.  Madden.     1839. 
G.  de  F.  stands  for  Joseph  Lavallée's  edition  of  Gaston  de 

Foix's  La  Chasse  de  Gaston  Phœbus.     Paris,  1854. 
G.  de  P.,  for  Roman  de  Guillaume  de  Paler  ne.     Ed.   H. 

Michelant.     Paris,  1876. 
G.  de  St.,  for  Gottfried  von  Strassburg.     Ed.  by  P.  A.  Leh 

mann.     Hamburg,  1703. 
Gentleman's  Magazine.     1752. 
Gent.  Recreation,  for  Gentleman's  Recreation.     By  Nicholas 

Cox.     London,  1686. 
God.  de  Bouill.,  for  Godefroi  de  Bouillon.      C.    Hippeau. 

Paris,  1877. 
Goechhausen,  H.  F.  von.     Notabilia  Venatoris.     Weimar, 

I751- 
Goury  de  Champgrand.     Traité  de  Vénerie.     Paris,  1769. 
Graesse,  J.  G.  T.    fàgerbrevier.     Wien,  1869. 

Liter aturgeschichte.     Dresden,  1845. 

Greyhounds.     By  a  Sportsman.     London,  18 19. 

Halliwell,  for  J.  O.  H.'s  A  Selection  from  the  Minor  Poems  of 
Lydgate.     Pub.  by  the  Percy  Society.    Vol.  ii.     1842. 

Carols.     Pub.  by  the  Percy  Society.     Vol.  iv.     1842. 

Dictionary  of  Provincial  and  Archaic  Words.     1850. 

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274      LIST   OF   BOOKS   CONSULTED 

Hammer-Purgstall,  Jos.  von.      Falkner  Klee.     Wien   und 

Pest,  1840. 
Hard,  de  Font. -G.    Le  Trésor  de  la  Vénerie.    Par  Hardouin 

de  Fontaines-Guérin.     Ed.  by  Baron  J.  Pichon.     Paris, 

Ï855- 

Ed.  by  Michelant.     Metz,  1856. 

Hardyng,  for  The  Chronicles  of  John  Hardyng.     Ed.  1543. 

London. 
Harewood,  H.     A  Dictionary  of  Sport.     London,  1835. 
Harrison,  for  Harrison's  Description   of  England  (Holin- 

shed).     Edit,  by  F.  J.  Furnivall.     London,  1877. 
Hartig,  G.  L.     Lehrbuch  fin  Jdger.     Tubingen,  18 10. 
Harting,  James  Ed.     See  Bib.  Accip.  and  Ex.  Brit.  An. 

Zoologist.     1878-80. 

H.  de  B.,  for  Huon  de  Bordeaux.     Ed.  by  F.  Guessard  and 

C.  Grandmaison.     Paris,  1866. 
Hartopp,  E.  C.  C.     Sport  in  England.     London,  1894. 
Hearne,  T.     Liber  Niger  Scaccarii.     1728. 
Heresbach,  Conrad.     Rei  rusticœ  libri  quatuor  .  .  .  Item  de 

Venatione.  .  .     1570. 
Historical  Review.     Jan.  1903. 
Hollinshed,  R.  (Harrison).    Ed.  F.  G.  Furnivall.     London, 

1877. 
Hore,  J.  P.     History  of  the  Buckhounds.     1893. 
Horn.,  for  Das  Anglononnannische  Lied  vom  Ritter  Horn. 

Ed.  by  E.  Stengel.     Marburg,  1883. 
Houdedot,  C.  F.  A.  d'.  Les  Femmes  Chasseresses.  Paris,  1859. 

Jesse,  for  Researches  into  the  History  of  the  British  Dog.    By 

G.  R.  Jesse.     2  vols.     London,  1866. 
Journal  des  Chasseurs.     Vols.  27,  28,  29,  and  30.     Paris. 
Jubinal,  Michel.    Nouveau  Recueil  de  Conte,  Szc.    (La  Chace 

dou  Serf)     1839. 
Jullien,  E.    La  Chasse,  son  Histoire  et  sa  Législation.    Paris, 

1868. 
La  Chasse  du  Loup.     Paris,  1881. 

Karajan,    T.    G.    von.        Kaiser    Maximilian's     Geheimes 

Jagdbuch.     Wien,  1858. 
Kellar,  for  Thiere  des  Class.  Alterthums.     Von  Otto  Kellar. 

Innsbruck,  1887. 


LIST   OF   BOOKS   CONSULTED      275 

Kennet,  White.     Parochial  A?itiquities.     1695. 
Kobell,  F.  von.     Der  Wildanger.     Stuttgart,  1859. 
Kreiger,  Otto  von.    Die  hoheund  niederejagd.    Trier,  1879. 
Kreysig,  G.  C.    Biblioteca  Scriptorum  Veneticorum.     Alten- 

burg,  1750. 
Kroeger,  C.    The  Minnesinger  of  Germany.    Camb.  (Mass.), 

1873- 

Laborde,  Leon  E.  S.  J.  de,     Glossaire  Français  du  Moyen 

Age.     1872. 

Les  ducs  de  Bourgogne.     1847. 

La    Chace   dou  Serf.     Edited   by  Baron  Jerome  Pichon. 

Paris,  1840.     See  also  Jubinal.     See  Bibliog.  in  1st  edit. 
La  Chasse  Royal,  for  La  Chasse  Royale,  composée  par  le  Roy 

Charles  LX.     Ed.  by  H.  Chevreul.     Paris,  1857. 
La  Croix,  P.     La  Moyen  Age.     Paris,  1848-51. 
La    Curne   de    Sainte    Palaye  :    Mémoires    sur    l'ancienne 

Chevalerie.     Paris,  1781. 
La  Ferrière,   Hector   Conte.     Les   Chasses  de  Francois  L. 

Paris,  1869. 
Lallemand.      Bibliothèque  historique    .    .    .    de   la  Chasse. 

Rouen,  1763. 
Lancaster,  Henry,  Earl  of.     Expenses  of  John  of  Brabant. 

Camden  Soc,  1847. 
Landau,  G.    BeitrdgezurGeschichtederJagd.   Kassel,  1849. 
Latini,  Brunetto.    Li  livres  dou  Trésor.    Edit,  by  Chabaille. 

Paris,  1835. 
Lauchert,  Prof.  Fr.     Das  Weidwerk  der  Borner.     Rottweil, 

1848. 
Lavallée,  for  La  Chasse  à  Courre  en  France  par  Joseph  La 

Vallée.     Paris,  1859. 

Techfiologie  Cynégétique,  Journal  des  Chasseurs.     1863. 

La  Chasse  à  tir  en  France.     1854. 

Le  Coulteux  de  Cauteleu,  Baron.     La   Vénerie  Française. 

Paris,  1858. 
Leguina,  Enrique  de.  Estudios  bibliogrâficos  La  Caza.   1888. 
Lenz,  J.  O.    Zoologie  derAlten  Griechen  und Borner.    Gotha, 

1856. 
Le  Verrier  de  la  Conterie.     L'Ecole  de  la  Chasse  aux  Chiens 

Courans.     Rouen,  1783. 
Liber  Niger.     See  Hearne. 


276      LIST    OF   BOOKS   CONSULTED 

Lib.  de  la  Mont.,  for  Biblioteca  Venaioria  de  Gutierrez  de  la 
Vega,  Libro  de  la  Monteria  del  Rey  Alfonso  XL.  Del  D. 
Jose  G.  d.  1.  V.     Madrid,  1877.     See  Bibliog.  in  1st  edit 

Liebermann,  Felix.  Constitutionis  de  Foresta.  Halle,  A.  S. 
1894. 

Lindsay,  Robert.     Chronicles  of  Scotland.     Edinb.,  1814. 

Loh.,  for  Die  Geste  des  Loherains.     Ed.  A.  Feist.     1844. 

Madden,  for  The  Diary  of  Master  Williafn  Silence.     By 

D.  H.  M.     London,  1897. 
Madden,  Sir  Fred.    Privy  Purse  Expenses  of  Princess  Mary. 

1831. 
Maison  Rustique,  for  M.  R.  de  Maistres  C.  Estienne  and  Lean 

Liebault.     Used  ed.     Paris,  1572  and  1578. 
Malory,  for  La  Morte  d'Arthure.     Ed.  by  Sir  T.  Malory. 

London,  1856. 
Maluquer,  Dufau  de.     Comté  de  Poix.     Foix.     Pau,  1901. 
Man.,  for  Manwood's  Forest  Laivs.     4th  ed.  by  W.  Nelson. 

London,  1 7 1 7 .     See  Pleas  of  the  Forest. 
Markham,  Gervase.      Country   Contentments,  or  the  Hits 

bandman  s  Recreation.     London,  161 1. 

Cheap  and  Good  Husbandry.     London,  16 14. 

The     Young    Sportsman' s    Delight    and    Lnstructor. 

London,  1652. 
Maricourt,  René  de.      La  Chasse  du  Lièvre,  &c.      Paris, 

1858. 
Maundeville.     The  Book  of  John  M.    Ed.  Dr.  G.  F.  Warner 

(Roxburgh  Club).     London,  1889. 
Meurer,  Noe.    Jâgerkunst.     1618. 
Meyer,  P.     Glossaire  de  la  Curne  de  S.  Paley.     1875. 
Millais,  J.  G.     British  Deer.     London,  1897. 
Monmouth,  Gottfried  von.     Ed.  Hoffmann  and  Vollmiiller. 

Halle,  1899. 
Montauban,  Renans  de.     Ed.  by  Michelant.     1843. 
Mont.,  for  D  antiquité  expliquée.     By  Bernard  de  Montfaul- 

con.     Paris,  17 19. 
Mortillet,  G.  de.     Origines  de  la  Chasse.     Paris,  1890. 

Neckham,  Alexander.     De  Naturis  Rerum.     Edit.  Wright, 

1858. 
Négociation  du  Maréchal  de  Bassompierre.     1626. 


LIST   OF   BOOKS   CONSULTED      277 

Nichols,  J.     Royal  Wills.     London,  1780. 

Nicolas,  Sir  N.  H.    The  Battle  of  Agincourt.    London,  1832. 

History  of  the  Navy.     London,  1847. 

Proceedings  and  Ordinances  of  the  Privy  Council. 

Privy  Purse  Expen.  of  Elizabeth  of  York  and  Ward- 
robe Exp.  of  Edward  IV.     London,  1830. 
Notabilia  Vefiatoris.     Nordhausen,  17 10. 

Ordinances.    A  Collection  of  O.  and  Regulations  of  the  Royal 
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Parson,  J.  W.  von.     Der  edle  hirschgerechte  Jàger.     1683. 
Patent  Rolls  (Printed)  of  the  English  Kings  from  Edward 

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P.  B.,  for  Partonopeus  de  Blois.     Ed.  G.  Crapelet.     2  vols. 

Paris,  1834. 
Pennant,  Thomas.     British  Zoology.     London,  1768-76. 
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Picard.     Paris,  1881. 
Planché,  I.  R.     Military  Antiquities.     1834. 
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1901. 
Poetry  of  Sport,  vol.  of  Badminton  Lib.     Ed.  by  Hedley 

Peek.     London. 
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Preussenfahrt.     Leipzig,  1893. 

Ramsay,  Sir  James.     Lancaster  and  York.     1892. 
Raymond,  G.     Rôles  de  Vannée  de  Gaston  Phœbus,  1376- 

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Reynardson,  C.  T.  S.  B.     Sports  of  Bygone  Days.     London, 

1787. 
Reissner,  Adam.     Historische  Beschreibung.     1620. 
Ribbesdale,  for  The  Queeris  Hounds.    By  Lord  R.    London, 

1887. 
Rohan-Chabot.     La  Chasse  a  travers  les  âges.    Paris,  1898. 


278      LIST    OF   BOOKS   CONSULTED 

Rol.  Lied.,  for  Das  Altfranzotische  Rolandslied.      Ed.   by 

Ed.  Max  Stengel.     Heilbronn,  1878  and  1900. 
Rolls  of  Pari.,  for  Rotuli  Parliamentorum — Edw.   III.  to 

Henry  IV. 
Romania,  Octob.     Paris,  1844. 
Roman  de  Richard  le  Biaus.     Ed.  Dr.  W.  Fôrster.     Wien, 

1874. 
R.  d.  B.,  for  Roman  de  Brut.     Par  R.  Wace.    Ed.  Le  Roux 

de  Lincy.     Rouen,  1838. 
Roman  de  Perxevalle  Gallois.    Ed.  Ch.  Potvin.    Mons,  1871. 
Roman  le,  de  Rose.     Ed.  F.  Pluquet.      1827. 
R.  de  Rou.,  for  Le  Roman  de  Rou.     By  Robert  Wace.     Ed. 

by  F.  Pluquet.     1827. 
R.  V.,  for  Roman  de  la  Violette.    Ed.  Fr.  Michel.      Paris, 

1834. 
Roy  Modus,  for  Elezéar  Blaze's  ed.  of  Le  Livre  du  Roy 

Modus.     Paris,  1839.     See  Bibliog.  in  1st  edit. 
Rye,    W.    B.      England  as  seen  by  Foreigners.      London, 

1865. 

Sahl.,  for  Englische  Jagd,  Jagdkunde  und  Jagdliteratur  im 
14.  15.  und  16.  Jahrhund.  Von  Paul  Sahlender. 
Leipzig  and  London,  1895. 

Der    Jagdtraktat    Twicfs.      Von    Paul    Sahlender. 

Leipzig,  1894. 

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lung.      Von  D.   P.   Sahlender-Bautzen.      Dresden    and 

Leipzig,  1898. 
Sainte-Palaye,  for  Mémoires  sur  Pa?uiemie  Chevalerie.     Par 

M.  de  la  Curne  de  S.-P.     3  vols.     Paris,  1781. 
Salnove,  R.  de.    La  Venarie  Royale.     Paris,  1655.     Niort, 

1888. 
Scandianese,  F.  G.     Delia  Caccia.     Vinegia,  1556. 
Sen.  de  Nor.,  for  Sénéschal  de  Normandye,  or  Le  livre  de  la 

Chasse  et  du  bon  chien  Souillard.      Par  le  Baron  Jer. 

Pichon.     Paris,  1858. 
Shaw,  Vero.     The  Book  of  the  Dog.     London,  1889-91. 
Shirley,  for  English  Deer  Parks.    By  Evelyn  Ph.  S.    London, 

1867. 
Shirley   MS.,    for   Brit.   Mus.   Addit.   MS.    16,165   of  the 

"  Master  of  Game,"  which  is  the  version  next  in  importance 


LIST    OF    BOOKS   CONSULTED      279 

to  the  one  reproduced  in  the  present  work.     See  Biblio- 
graphy :   MSS.  of  the  "  Master  of  Game  "  in  1st  edit. 
Smith,   Sir  Thomas.     De  Republica  Anglorum.     London, 

J583- 
Souhart,  for  Bibliographie  des  Ouvrages  sur  la  Chasse.    Par 

R.  Souhart.   1886,  with  two  additions  of  1888  and  1891. 
Statutes  of  the  Realm.     1810-1822.     (9  vols.) 
Stisser,  F.  U.    Forst  una1 Jagd  Histor.  der  Teutschen.    Jena, 

1733. 
Slrassburg,  Gottfried  von.    Ed.  P.  A.  Lehmann.   'Hamburg, 

1703. 
Stratmann,   F.    H.     Middle  English   Die.      Rev.   by    H. 

Bradley.     1891. 
Strutt,  J.     Sports  and  Pastimes  of  the  English  People.     Ed. 

1875.    Errors  m  it,  Appendix  in  1st  edit. 
New  ed.  by  J.  C.  Cox.     1903. 


Dress  and  Habits  of  the  People  of  England. 


Stuart,  for  Lays  of  the  Deer  Forest.     By  J.  Sob.  and  Ch. 
Stuart.     2  vols.     Edin.  and  London,  1848. 

Taplin,  W.     Sporting  Dictionary. 

Tarbé,   Prosper.     Le  Noble  et   Gentil  jeu   de  Varbalaste. 

Reims,  1841. 

Le  Roman  des  quatres  fils  Aymon.     1861. 

Tardif,  for  L'Art  de  Fauconerie  et  des  chiens  de   Chasse» 

Par  Guillaume  T.     Paris,  1492. 
Thierbach,  T.     Die  Geschichtliche  Entwicklung  der  Haud- 

feueqswaffen.     Dresden,  1886-89. 
Topsell,    Edward.       The  Historié  of  Fovre-footed  Beastes. 

London,  William  laggard,  1607. 
T.  and  !..   for    Tristan  und  L solde.     Von    Gottfried   von 

Strassburg.     Ed.  Her.  Kurtz.     Stuttgart,  1844. 
T.  M.,  for  Tristan:  Receuil  de  ce  qui  reste  des  poèmes.    Ed. 

by  Fr.  Michel.     3  vols.     London,  1835-39. 
Topham,  J.     Observations  on  the  Wardrobe  Accounts  of  the 

28th year  of  Edivard  I.     1787. 
Traité  {Nouveau)  de  Vénerie.     Paris,  1750. 
Traité  des  Chasses  (Anon.).     2  vols.     Paris,  1822. 
Traité  des  Chasses  et  de  la  Vénerie.     Paris,  1681. 
Treat,  on   Grey  h.,  for  A  Treatise  on   Greyhounds.     By  a 

Sportsman.     London,  1825. 


2  8o      LIST    OF    BOOKS    CONSULTED 

T.  Tresson,  for  Histoire  de  Tristan  de  Leonois.     Ed.   by 

Comte  de  Tresson.     Paris,  1781. 
Tristan.     Ed.  Fr.  Michel.     3  vols.     London,  1835-39. 

de  la  Table  Ronde.     Pr.  Ant.  Verard.     Paris,  1495. 

Turber.,  for  The  Noble  Art  of  '  Venery  or  Hunting.    London, 

1575-76.     (When  not  specially  mentioned,  the  second 

edit,  of  161 1.) 
Twety  and  GyrTord  (also  written  Twety  and  Giffard),  for 

article  under  that  title  in  the  ReliqaicB  Antiqnœ.     Vol.  i., 

where  Thomas  Wright  published  Twici's  Art  of  Huntings 

in  Brit.  Mus.  MS.  Vespasian  B.  XII.      Bibliog.  1st  edit. 
Twici,  for  The  Art  of  Hunting.     Bv  William  Twici  (MS. 

Phillipps,  8336).     Edited   by  (Sir)   H.   E.   L.   Dryden. 

Daventry,  1843.     Bibliog.  1st  edit. 
Tyolet,  Romania.     Edited  by  G.     Paris,  1885. 

Usk,  Adam  of.     Chronicon.     Ed.     London,  1876. 

Vallès,  Mossen  Juan.     Tratado  de  Afonteria.     1556. 
Vénerie  Nor.,  for    Vénerie  Normande.     Par  M.  le  Verrier 

de  la  Conterie.     Rouen,  1778. 
Ver  de   la    Cont.,   for  L  Ecole   de  la   Chasse  aux    Chiens 

Courans.    Par  M.  de  le  Verrier  de  le  Conterie.    Rouen, 

1763. 
Vignancour,   Emile.     Recueil  de  Poésies  Béarnaises.     4th 

Edit.     Pau,  1886. 
Vincentius  Bellovacensis.  Bibliotheka  Mundi.  Edit,  of  1624. 

Speculi  m  ajoriis .     1 5  9 1 . 

Vyner.     Notitia  Venatica. 

Wagner,  F.  von.    Diejagd  des  grossen  Wildes  im  Mittelalter. 

Wien,  1844. 
Walton,    for    The    Compleat   Angler.      By   Izaak  Walton. 

Used  éd.     London,  18 15. 
Wardrobe  Accounts  for  the  reigns  of  Edivard  III.  to  Henry 

IV. 
Werth,  Hermann.     Ùber  die  Àltesten  franz.  Ûbersetzungen 

Mittelalt.  Jagdlehrbiicher.     Gôttingen,  1888. 

Altfranzosische  Jagdlehrbiicher.     Halle,  1889. 

Whitaker,  Joseph.     The  Deer  Parks  of  England.     London, 

1892. 


LIST   OF   BOOKS   CONSULTED      281 

Will,  of  Paterne.     See  G.  de  P. 
Wright,  for  A  History  of  Domestic  Manners  in  England. 

By  Thomas  Wright.     London,  1862. 
Wylie,  for  History  of  England  under  Henry  IV.    By  James 

H.  Wylie.     London,  1884-98.     4  vols. 
Wynn,  for  History  of  the  Mastiff.    By  M.  B.  Wynn.    Melton 

Mowbray,  1886. 

D'Yauville.     Traité  de  Vénerie.     Paris,  1688. 


GLOSSARY 


OF  OBSOLETE  ENGLISH  TERMS  AND  WORDS 
OCCURRING  IN  THE  ANCIENT  TEXTS 
OF  "THE  MASTER  OF  GAME"  AND  IN 
APPENDIX. 


Abai,  abay,  being  at  bay,  29,  ï  1 8 

ACHARNETH,  ACHARNE,  to  set 

on,  to  eat  flesh,  59,  60,  62 
ACHAUF,  heat,  38,  98 

ACQUILLER,      ENQUILLER,      to 

rouse   animals   of   the  chase 

with  hounds,  App. 
AFERAUNT,  the  haunch,  38 
Affeted,  fashioned,  trained,  27, 

141 
AFORCE,  fiarforce,by  force,  App. 
Aiguillounce,  thorny 
Akelid,  cooled,  186 
Akire,  Akkerne,  acorns,  144 
Alauntis,  alauntz,    alond, 

allans   or    allauntes,   a   large 

hound,  3,  1 16-8 
Alvelue,  covered  with  fleece, 

fat  or  woolly  substance,  App. 
ANALED,  for   avaled,   hanging 

down,  1 14 
Anceps,  haussepied,  a  snare 

which  caught  the  game  by  the 

foot  and  lifted  it  into  the  air, 

61 
Anches,  rosemary 
APEL,French  hunting-note,App. 
Aperyng,  stoned,   the   rough- 
ness of  antlers,  143 
Apparaille,  dressed  venison 
Arbitten,  bitten,  devoured 


Arblast,  cross-bow,  27 

Areche,  reach,  60 

ARERE,   arrière,    behind,   back 

there,  182,  App. 
Areyn,  spider,  137 
Areyn,  rain,  157 
Arracher,  to  tear  out  ;  a  term 

used     for     skinning     certain 

animals,  App. 
Asaute,  saute,  in  heat,  64,  66 
Ascriethe,   ascrie,   to    rate, 

shout  at,  to  scold,  63,  74,  170 
Assaien,  try  or  test,  88 
Assaye,  essay,  to  try;   taking 

assay,  to   see  by   a   cut   the 

thickness  of  the  fat,  App. 
Assise,  note  on  hunting-horn 

blown  at  death  of  stag  which 

has    been    hunted    by    stag- 
hounds,  App. 
Asterte,  escape 
Astifled,  inflammation  in  the 

stifle-joint,  103 
Astried,  rated,  shouted  at,  170 
Athrest,  thrust  or  push,  106 
Atte  fulle,  when  the  stag's 

antlers  show  a  certain  number 

of  tines,  App. 
Attire,  the  stag's  antlers,  App. 
Aualed,     availed,     hanging 

down,  106,  1 14 


282 


GLOSSARY 


283 


AUERILLE,  Avrille,  April,  30 

AUNTELERE,  AUNTILLER,  AUN- 

CULER,  antler,  130,  140 
Auntred,  ventured,  28 
Avaunt,   auaunt,   a   hunting 

cry,  "  Forward,"  182 
Avauntellay,  relay  of  hounds 
Avayl,  avail,  profit,  13,  31 
Avenaund,  approachable 
Avenery,  oats 

AviSED,  aware  of,  warned,  in- 
formed, advised,  cautious 
Avoy,  a  hunting  cry,  probably 
from  "  Away,"  App. 

Bace,  for  Luce,  a  pike 
Baffers,  barkers,  120 
Bake,  back 
Balista,  balesta,  cross-bow, 

haronsblast,  27 
Balowe,  bellow,  roaring  of  a 

stag 
Bandrike,    baldric,   belt   to 

which  horn  was  fastened,  128, 

140 
Barateur,  quarreller 
Barbouris,  barbers 
Bareyn,  barren,  35 
Basco,  Basque,  Biscay,  106 
Batyd,  bruised,  sore,  98 
Batyng,  bating 
Baudes,  baubles,  trifles,  83 
Beam,   the    main   part    of   the 

stag's  antlers,  142 
Beendyng,  bending 
Beerners,   berners,   attend- 
ant on  hounds,  148,  165 
Beestale,    bestaile,    beasts, 

cattle,  36,  61 
Beestis,  beasts,  App. 
Bellen,  belowyn,  belerve, 

BELOWEN,  bellow  or  roar,  160 
Beluez,  velvet,  26 
Beme,  beam;  also  trumpet 
Benes,  beans,  26 
BERCEL,a  mark  to  shoot  at,  App. 
Bercelet,berslettis,  barce- 


LETTE,  a  shooting-dog  used 
by  archers,  122 
Beries,  burrows,  earth  of  fox 

and  badger,  67,  68 
Beryed,  buried 
Berying,  bearing,  breaking,  136 
Bestis  of  the  Chace,  beasts 
of  the   chase,   usually  fallow 
deer,  roe-deer,  fox,  martin,  3 
Bestis  of  Vénerie,  beasts  of 
venery,  usually  the  hart,  hare, 
boar,  and  wolf",  3 

Bevy,   a    number    of   roe-deer 
together,  App. 

Bevygrease,  the  fat  of  the  roe- 
deer,  App. 

Bewellis,ba\vaylles,  bawel- 
lis,  bowels 

Billetings,  the  excrements  of 
the  fox,  App. 

Bisses,    bises,  bisches,    red- 
deer  hinds 

BiSSHUNTERS,  fur-hunters,  74 

Bitte,  bitten,  taken,  17,  186 

Blenches,  marks,   tricks,  de- 
ceits, 159 

Bocherie,  butchery,  1 16 

Bokeying,  the  rut  of  the  roe- 
deer,  41 

BOLN,  BOLK,  BOLNE,  bellow  or 
bark,  39,  162 

BOOCHERS  HOUNDIS,  butchers' 
dogs,  118 

Boole,  bull,  118 

Boones,  bones,  stag's  foot 

BOONYS,  bones,  131 

Boordcloth,  table-cloth,  164 

BOORDES,  boards 

Booris,  boars,  143 

Boost,  boast 

Botches,  booches,  sores,  63 

Botirflies,  butterflies,  66 

Bounte,  bounty,  goodness,  79 

Bouyes,  boughs,  Àpp. 

Bowis,  bowes,  boughs,  137,  153 

I   Brach,    BRACHE,   a    scenting- 

hound;  later  on  it  meant  bitches 


284 


GLOSSARY 


Brachetus,  a  hound  for  hunt- 
ing, 22 

Braconier,  the  man  who  held 
the  hounds 

Brayne,  breyn,  brain,  176 

Brede,  breadth 

Brede,  broad,  138 

Breke,  brook,  break  ;  also  ap- 
plied to  dress  a  deer 

Bremed,  burnt,  112 

Brent,  burnt,  79 

Breres,  briars,  93 

Brigilla,  mildew,  96 

Brimming,  bremyng,  be  in 
heat,  said  of  boar  ;  the  word 
breme,  bryme,  or  brim,  valiant- 
spirited,  47 

Broacher,  a  red-deer  stag  of 
second  year,  App. 

Brocard,  a  roebuck  of  the 
third  year  and  upwards,  App. 

Brock,  badger,  App. 

Brokes,  brooches, broaches, 
the  first  head  of  a  red-deer 
stag,  and  of  roebuck,  45 

Broket,  brocket,  youngstag,  29 

Broket's  sister,  hind  in  the 
second  year,  App. 

Brond,  proud,  46 

BUCHE,  BYCHES,  bitch 

Bugle,  buffalo  ;  also  horn  for 
soundinghunting  signals,App. 

BUKKES,  BUKES,  BUCKES,  bucks 

Bukmast,  beechmast,  App. 
Bulloke,  young  stag  in  second 

year,  29 
Burnysshen,  burnish,  to  rub 

the  antlers  when  the   velvet 

is  off,  134 
Burr,  the  lowest  part  of  the 

stag's  antlers 

Caboche,  to  cut  off  the  hart's 
head  near  the  antlers,  176 

Calf,  calfe,  the  young  stag  in 
his  first  year 

Camamyle,  camomile,  95 


Campestris,  beast  of  the  field 
or  chase — i.e.  buck,  doe,  fox, 
martin,  and  roe-deer 

Candlemas,  February  2 

Caraynes,  carreyns,  karin, 
carrion,  carcase,  62,  yy 

Cardiac,  cardryacle,  a  dis- 
ease of  the  heart,  34 

Carres,  marshes,  45 

Case  to,  stripping  or  skinning 
the  hare,  App. 

Catapucia,  spurge  {Euphorbia 
resi?iiferd),  101 

Catt,  catte,  cattys,  cat,  App. 

Cautelous,  cautels,  cautious, 
crafty,  45 

Cete,  a  number  of  badgers 

Chaceable,  chaseable,  a  hert 
chaseable,  which  is  now  called 
a  warrantable  stag,  one  fit  to 
be  hunted 

CHACECHIENS,  grooms  in  at- 
tendance on  hounds,  148,  177 

Chalaunge,  challenge 

Chase,  forest  ;  also  used  to  de- 
signate a  method  of  hunting, 
and  also  a  hunting-party 

Chasse,  a  French  hunting-note 

Chastised,  trained,  189 

Chater,  chacer  (rechater, 
RECHEAT),  a  horn  signal  ;  also 
to  chastise  hounds 

Chaufed,  achaufed,  heated, 
in  heat,  49,  98 

Chaule,  chaulis,  chavel, 
jaw,  170 

Chaunge,  change,  31,  108,  111 

Cheere,  chere,  cherish,  wel- 
come, 85 

Cheveraus,  roe-deer 

Chibollis,  chives,  90 

Childermas,  Innocents'  Day 
(December  28) 

Chis,  dainty,  83 

Chivaucher,  chevaucher,  to 
ride 

Chymer,  riding-cloak 


GLOSSARY 


285 


Chymneyis,  chimney,  98,  126 
Clees,  clawes,  the  "toes"  of  a 

deer's  foot,  77,  80,  131 
Cleeves,  sur  or  dew  cleeves  at 

the  back  of  a  deer's  fetlock 
Cleped,clepyd,  called,  59, 140 
Clere    speres,    clear    spires, 

woods,  App. 
Clicqueting,  vixen  fox  when 

in  heat,  App. 
Clistre,  enema,  100 
Coddes,  testicles  of  the  hart 
Coiting  stone,  a  quoit 
Colers,  COLIERS  places,  col- 
lier or  charcoal  pits,  26 
Concilida     MAIOR,     comfrey 

(Syinphytum  officinale),  98 
Concilida    minor,    prunella, 

selfheal  (Prunella  vulgaris), 

98 
Coninger,   conigree,    rabbit 

warren,  App. 
Contre,  counter,  back,  heel 
Contre,  country,  36 
Controugle,  contreongle, 

hunt  counter,  hunt  heel,  150 
Conynge,  rabbit,  18 
Coolwort,  cabbage,  100 
Copeis,  COPIS,  coppice,  155 
Corner,  coRNEER,horn  blower 
Cotes,  quoits,  178 
Couch,    the    resting-place    of 

game  ;  also  hound's  bed 
Couchers,  setters,  120 
Couertts,  covert,  shelter 
Counterfeet,  COUNTFEIT,  ab- 
normal, 28,  142 
Courser,    cursar,    curser, 

swift  horse 

COUTHEN,  CONTHEN,  COUTH, 

knew,  to  be  able,  ob.  could,  2 
Cowe,  cow,  also  tail,  from  queue 
Crie,  cry  (of  hounds),  65 
Croches,  the  upper  tines  of  a 

deer's  horns;  called  also  troches 
Croise,  cross,  150 
Crokes,  stomach  (of  red-deer) 


Crokyng,  crooked,  curved,  128 

Crommes,  crumbs 

Cronen,  groan,  the  roar  of  the 

stag 
Cross  to,  to  dislodge  roe-deer 

by  hounds 
Crotethe,  voiding  excrements, 

29 
Crotey,  crotils,   crotisen, 

CROTisiNGS,  excrements,   16, 

29,  30,  133 
Cuer,  COER,  heart 
CUIR,  QUIR,  leather,  hide 
Curée,  cure,   rewarding   the 

hounds     (also     Kyrre    and 

Guyrre),  7  29,  52,  208 
Curres,  currys,  curs 
Curtaise,  courteous,  115 

Daungere,  danger,  161 

Dedis,  deeds,  49 

Dedut,deudiz,deduiz,<^v///z/, 
pleasure  pursuit,  sport 

Defaute,  defaunt,  lack,  de- 
fault, 84,  140 

Defet,  deffeten,  opening  or 
undoing  the  boar  and  remov- 
ing the  entrails 

Defoile,  track,  150 

Delyuere,  deliver,  active,  124 

Depiled,  stripped  of  hair 

Desfaire,  undoing  (brittling) 
of  deer  or  boar,  App. 

Despitous,  despytous,  de- 
spiteful, furious,  49 

Desterere,  destrier,  horse 

Détourner  (le  cerf),  to  har- 
bour the  hart,  App. 

Deyeng,  doing 

Deym,  deyme,  daine,  dine, 
fallow-deer 

DlSLAUE,  wild,  159 

Dissese,  disease 

Doo,  doe 

Down,  or  huske,  a  number  of 
hares,  App. 

Dragmes,  drachms 


286 


GLOSSARY 


Dreynt,  drowned 

Drit,  dritt,  excrements  of 
animals  called  "stinking 
beasts,"  also  mud,  50,  66 

Dryen,  dry,  102 

DRYUE,  driven,  128 

Dryve,  made 

DUNE,  donn,  dun 

Dure,  to  last,  endure,  43 

Dyette,  diet 

Earth,  a  fox  and  badger's 
lodging-place,  App. 

Edight,  done,  set  in  order 

Eelde,  old  age,  123 

Eendis,  ends 

EEREN,  hairs,  44 

Eerys,  eres,  ears 

Egre,  eager,  115 

ElRERES,  harriers,  190 

Ellis,  else,  90 

Emelle,  emel,  female,  41 

Empaumure,  the  croches  or  top 
tines  of  a  stag's  antlers,  App. 

Enbrowed,  brewed,  soaked, 
177 

Enchace,  to  hunt,  108 

Encharnyng,  blooding,  feed- 
ing on  flesh,  113 

Enchasez,  moving  deer,  &c, 
with  a  limer,  App. 

Encorne,  to  place  a  dead  stag 
on  his  back,  the  antlers  on 
the  ground  underneath  the 
shoulders,  174 

Enfourmed,  informed 

Engleymed,  glutinous,  29 

Enosed,  a  bone  in  the  throat,  87 

Enpeshed,  prevented,  11 

Enquest,  hunt,  182 

Enquiller,    rousing    a    buck 

with  hounds,  App. 
Enquyrid,      enqueyrreide 
blooding  hounds  after  death 
of   deer;    also   rewarding   of 
hounds,  173 

Ensaumple,  example,  79 


Entente,  intent 

Entrying,  entering,  beginning 
of 

Entryngis,  entering,  begin- 
ning of,  35 

Envoise,  envoyse,  O.F.  en- 
voisse,  to  leave  the  line,  or 
overshoot  the  line  of  the 
animal  hunted,  31,  108,  170 

Erbis,  herbs 

Eres  of  roebuck,  "  target,"  44 

Ergots,  argus,  claws  of  boar, 
buck  and  doe  ;  those  of  the 
boar  were  sometimes  called 
gardes,  130,  144 

Eris,  eres,  ars,  anus,  hinder 
parts  ;  ears,  occasionally  thus 
spelt,  89,  95,  106,  116 

Erthe,  earth 

ESCORCHER,  ESTORCHER,  flay- 
ing deer,  and  other  beasts  of 
venery,  App. 

ESPAULES,  shoulders 

ESPAYARD,  SPAYARD,  SPAYER, 

stag  of  the  third  year,  App. 
Essemble,  assembly,  150 
Establie,  stand   occupied    by 

sportsmen  ;  also  beaters 

ESTORACIS     CALAMITA,   Storax, 

resin,  96 
Esye, easy 
Etawed,  tanned 
Etyn,  itvn,  eat 
Euenyngis,  evening,  11 
Euerychone,        everichon, 

each  one,  every  one,  163 
EuiLLE,   euell,  evil,  wicked, 

bad,  6 
Evoised,  at  fault,  or  off  the  line 
Expedite,  to    maim  dogs  by 

cutting  off  some  of  their  claws 
Eyne,  eygh,  eynen,  eye,  116 
Eyre,  air 

Façon,  faucon,  falcon,  121 
Fadir,  fadere,  father,  105 
Fadmys,  fadoms,  fathoms,  125 


GLOSSARY 


287 


Farowe,  farewyn,  pharo- 
WYN,  farrow,  bringing  forth 
young  pig,  47,  48,  68 

Farsyn,  farsine,  farcy,  69,,  92 

Fasson,  fassion,  fashion 

Faund,  fawned 

Faus,  false 

Fausmanche,  false  sleeve 

Faut,  fault 

Fechewe,  fitchew,  polecat 

Feeldes,  fields,  158 

Feerne,  fern 

Felaues,  fellows 

Fele,  many  ;  also  sensible. 
feeling 

Felle,  fierce,  cruel,  treacherous 

Felle,  FELE,  wise,  sensible,  feel- 
ing; also  cunning,  30,  115 

FELNESSE,cruelty,  fierceness,  71 

Femellis,  females 

FENCEMONTH,  the  month  when 
deer  had  their  young  and 
were  left  undisturbed,  App. 

Fermyd,  firm,  162 

Ferre,  far,  16 

Ferrettis,  ferrets,  72 

Ferrtest,  farthest 

Fers,  fierce,  47 

Fersliche,  fiercely,  86 

FESAWNT,  pheasant 

Feueryere,  February 

Fewes,  fewte,  track,  trace, 
foot.  Some  animals  were 
called  of  the  sweet  foot,  others 
of  the  stinking  foot,  10.  See 
Appendix. 

Fewterer,  feutreres,  few- 
trees,  man  who  leads  grey- 
hounds, 129 

Fiants,  also  Lesses,  excre- 
ments of  the  wild  boar,  App. 

Fistoles,  fistula,  92 

Fixen,  vixen,  O.G.fuchscn,  64 

Flay,  flean,  flene,  to  skin 
deer  and  certain  other  game, 

174 
Flayssh,  flesh,  5 


Flux,  dysentery 

FOILLYNG,  stag  going  down- 
stream when  hunted,  32,  173 

Folies,  foly,  folly,  lesser 
deer,  not  hart  or  buck,  196 

FOLTISCH,  foolish,  45 

FOORME,  FORME,  FOURME, 
form  of  the  hare,  14,  17 

Foragle,  strangle,  straggle 

FORCHE,     FOURCHED,     forked, 

said  of  stag's  antlers,  140,  177 

FORLOYNE,     FORLOGNE,     FOR- 

longe,  a  note  sounded  on 
the  horn,  to  denote  that  the 
quarry  or  hounds  or  both  had 
distanced  the  hunters,  173 

FORSTERS,  foresters ,  148 

F ors wong,  M.E.  Forswinger^ 
bruised,  beaten  (tucked  up),  88 

Fort,  the  thick  part  of  woods 

Forun,  forewarn,  148 

FOTYDE,  footed 

Fouaill,  the  reward  given  to 
the  hounds  after  a  boar  hunt, 
consisting  of  the  bowels 
cooked  over  a  fire,  App. 

Foumart,  faulmart,  fol- 
mert,  polecat 

Fowtreres,  fewterers, 

huntsmen  who  led  grey- 
hounds, slippers 

FOXEN,    FFIXEN,   A.S.    fixeil— 

vixc7i,  a  bitch  fox,  64 
Foyne,  weasel 
Fraied,  rubbed,  135 
Fray,  frighten,  scare,  149 
Fray,  to  rub  off  the  velvet  on 

stag's  antlers,  26,  135 
Fraying-post,  the  tree  against 

which  it  was  done 
Freyn,  excrements  of  the  wild 

boar,  App. 
Froot,  frotid,  rub,  53,  94,  95, 

146 
FUANTS,     excrements     of    the 

fox,     martin,     badger,     and 

wolf,  App. 


288 


GLOSSARY 


Fues,  track,  line,  18,  31 
Fumes,  fumee,  fumagen, 
fimeshen,  fewmets,  feme- 
GEN,  FEWMISHINGS,  excre- 
ments, droppings,  particularly 
of  deer,  9,  16,  38,  39,  133 
Furkie,  pieces  of  venison  hung 

on  a  fork-shaped  stick 
FuRROUR,  fur,  Y r.  fourrure,  63 
Futaie,  futelaie,  forest,  wood 
of  old  trees,  also  plantation  of 
beech-trees,  App. 
Fynders,    finders,    hounds  to  ! 
start  or  find  deer,  161,  165 

Gaderynge,  gaderyng,  gath-  I 

ering,  meet,  156,  163 
Gadire,  gather,  43 
Gar,  to  force,  to  compel,  39 
Gardes,  the  dew-claws  of  the  ! 

wild  boar 
Garsed,  cupped,  90 
Gin,  gynne,  trap,  snare 
Girle,     the     roebuck    in    the 

second  year,  App. 
GiSE,  guise,  manner  of 
Gladnesse,   a  glade,  a   clear 

space,  137 
Glaundres,  glanders,  96 
Glemyng,    gleyming,    slime, 

stickiness,  133 
Gloteny,  gluttony 
Gnappe,  snap,  92 
Gobettes,  small  pieces,  81,  177 
Goot,  goat 
GORGEAUNT,  wild  boar  in  his 

second  year 

GOTERS,  GOOTERE,  GOUTIERES, 

gutters,  the  small  grooves  in 

the  antlers  of  a  stag,  143 
Graunt  SOUR,  stag  of  fifth  year 
Grauyll,  gravel,  143 
Grease,    grece,    the    fat    of 

certain  animals,  25,  27,  49 
Grease-time,    the    season    of 

hart  and  buck  when  they  were 

fattest,  160 


Greater,  of  the,  term  used 

in   counting   the   tines    of    a 

stag's  antlers,  App. 
Grede,  seek,  hunt,  183 
Gres,  upper  tusks  of  wild  boar, 

grinders,  50 
Gressoppes,  grasshoppers,  66 
Grete,  greet,  great,  13 
Greue,  grieve,  harass,  injure,  45 
Grey,  badger,  68 
Grovys,  grooves 
Gustumes,  customs,  4 
Guttes,  guts 
Guyen,  gueyne,  Guienne 
Guyrreis,  quarry  (curée),  105 
Gynnes,    GYNES,    gins,    traps, 

ruses,  wiles,  tricks,  35,  73 
Gynnously,  by  stratagem   or 

ingenuity,  15,  39,43*59 

Haies,  hayes,  nets,  hedges,  74 

Hallow,  the  reward  given  to 
the  hounds  at  the  death 

Halowe,  halloa,  App. 

Hamylons,  the  wiles  of  a  fox 

Harbour,  herborowe,  har- 
boure,  harborow,  to  track 
a  hart  to  his  lair,  29 

Harbourer,  man  who  har- 
bours the  deer,  130,  148 

Hardiethe,  herds  with 

Hardle,  herdle,  herdel, 
harling,  hardel,  fasten  or 
couple  hounds  together,  also 
to  fasten  the  four  legs  of  a 
roebuck  together,  45,  190 

Hardy,  bold,  courageous 

Haris,  hares,  17 

Harnays,  herneis,  harness, 
appurtenances,  arms,  &c,  60 

Haronsblast,  a  crossbow, 
from  O.F.  Arcbaleste,  27 

Harowde,  herald,  139 

Harthound,  herthound, 
hound  used  to  chase  the  stag 

Hast,  haste 

Hastilettiz,  the  dividing    of 


GLOSSARY 


the  wild  boar  into  thirty-two 

pieces 
Hatt,  hath 
Hatte,  thicket,  118 
Haukes,  hawks,  120 
Haukyng,  hawking 
Hauntelers,  antlers,  App. 
Hauspee,  haussepee,  a  trap  ; 

also  a  siege  engine,  61 
Hayter,  harrier,  App. 
Hearse,  also  Broket's  sister, 

a  red-deer  hind  in  her  second 

year,  App. 
Heddyd,  headed 
Heere,  hair,  27 
Heghes,  hocks 
Heirers,  harriers,  1 1 1 
Hele,  helthe,  health 
Helyn,  heal,  127 
Hemule,  hemuse,  heymuse, 

roebuck  in  the  third  year 
Hendis,  red-deer  hind,  130 
Her,  hear 
Herbis,  herbs,  14 
Herborowe.    See  Harbour 
Herdle,  to  dress  a  roebuck 
Herneis,  harness.     See  Har- 

NAYS,  also  Appendix 
Heroun,  heron,  1 
Hert,  heart  ;  also  stag,  23,  34 
Hertis,  harts,  stags,  130 
Hidre,  hinder 
Highten,  called,  named,  148, 

182 
Hire,  her,  19 
HOGGASTER,  wild  boar  in  his 

third  year,  App. 
HOKKES,      HOGHES,     HOUGHS, 

hocks,  99,  114 
Hookes,  hooks,  first    teeth  of 

wolf  and  dog,  56,  83 
Hoot  (be),  promised,  79 
Hoote,  hot,  32 

HOPELAND,  HOPOLAND,  HOUP- 

PELAND,   a   long   surcoat   or 
gownlike  garment 
Hoppyn,  hoping 


Horred,  hairy,  106 

HOS,  hoarse,  66 

Houe,  hoof 

Hough,  howff,  houff,  a 
haunt,  a  resort,  used  especi- 
ally for  the  holt,  or  dwelling- 
place  of  an  otter,  App. 

Houndis,  hundes,  hounds  ; 
also  hands,  1 

HoUNGER,  hunger 

Hounter,  hunter 

Hovvlyn,  howl 

Hoxtide,  feast  fifteen  days 
after  Easter,  App. 

HuSKE,  a  number  of  hares,  App. 

Iboyled,  boiled 
Iclepid,  called,  105,  144 
Ileyn,  lain,  136 
ILLOEQUES,  ILLEOQS,   here    in 
this  place,  183,  234 

ILOST,  lost 

Imakyd,  made,  137 
Imeyngid,  mingled,  102 
Imprime,  unharbouring  a  hart 
INGWERE,  INQUERE,  inquire  or 

seek,  151 
Ipressid,  pressed,  136 
Ireeyned,  rained,  157 
I  REN,  iron,  90 
Irenged,  arranged,  142 
Ironged,  ranged 
IROOS,  iris,  93 
Ispaide,  spayed,  castrated  ;  also 

to  kill  with  a  sword.    See  Spay 
I  STAMPED,  stamped,  crushed,  93 
Istered,  stirred,  91 
Itawed,  tawed,  tanned,  126 
Ithrest,  thrust,  pushe,  136 
Itred,  trodden 
Itynded,  tined,  142 
Iweryd,  worn,  147 
Iweted,  wetted,  moistened,  97 
Iwrethede,  wreathed,  133 

Jangelere,  jangler,  124 
Jannere,  January 

T 


go 


GLOSSARY 


Jawle,  jaw,  50 

Jengeleth,  jangeleth,  said  of 

a  noisy  hound,  no 
Jolly,  a  bitch  in  heat,  54,  58 
Jopey,  juppey,    to    holloa,   to 

cry  out,  to  call,  171,  234 
Juge,  jugge,  judge 
Juggementz,  judgments,  130 
JuiLL,  July 
Juin,  June 
Jus,  juice 
JWERYD,  worn 

Kareynes,  carrion,  48,  58,  68 
Kele,  cool,  91 
Kembe,  comb,  127 
Kennettis,    kenet,   a    small 

hunting  hound,  in 
Kepyn,  keeping 
Kerre,  kirre,  kyrre,  cure, 

CURÉE,   quarry,  reward  of 

hounds.    See  Curée 
Keuere,  cover,  65 
Keuered,  covered,  80 
Kitte,  to  cut,  sharp,  95 
Kittyng,  cutting,  50 
Knobber,  stag  in  second  year 

or  broket,  App. 
Knyff,  knife,  90 
Kounyngly,   cunningly  ;    also 

wisely 
Kunne,  ken,  to  know,  to  be 

able,  15 
Kyde,  roebuck  in  first  year 
Kyen,  kine,  cattle,  120 
Kylleic,  Welsh  for  grease  time 
Kyndeleth,  bring  forth  (said 

of  the  hare),  181 
Kyndels,  young  hare,  19 
Kyndely,  naturally,  M.E.  kin- 

dely,  kendeliche,  cundeliche 
Kynningly,  cunningly 
Kytons,  kyttons,  kittens,  71 

Labelles,  small  flaps,  174 
Ladde,  led 
Ladil,  ladle 


Laies,  pools,  lakes 

Lair,  the  resting-place  of  the 

various  kinds  of  deer,  10 
Lammas,  Lammasse,   August 

1,  2 
Lammasse   of  Peter    Apos- 

tull,  June  29 
Lappe,  lap,  158 
Lasse,  less,  smaller 
Launcet,  lancet 
Laundes,    Londes,  wild    un- 
cultivated land,  36 
Lavey,  unrestrained,  wild,  1 1 1 
Leather,  the  skin  of  deer  and 

of  the  wild  boar,  App. 
Leches,    leeches,    doctor    or 

surgeon,  12 
Leder,  leather,  126 
Lefrer,  lévrier,  greyhound 
Left,  last,  or  live 
Legges,  legs 
Leie,  lair 

Leire,  river  Loire  in  France,  77 
Leires,  lair,  bed  of  a  stag,  136 
Leith,  layeth 
Lekes,  leeks,  90 
Lernyd,  learned,  taught 
Lese,  leash,  59 
Leseth,  loseth,  52 
Less,   of  the,  term  used    in 

counting  the  tines,  App. 
Lesses,  Fr.  laissées,  excrements 

of  boar  and  wolves,  139,  146 
Lesshe,  lesse,  lesche,  leash, 

140 
Lesshes,  lesses,  inferiors,  189 
Lesyng,  loosing,  119 
Lette,  hindered,  51,  163 
Leuere,  leaver,  rather,  sooner 
Leurettis,  leverets,  19 
Leuve,  leave,  31 
Leuys,  leues,  leaves,  138 
Levir,  leaver,  rather 
Lévrier,  a  hare  hound 
Liam,  lyam,  rope  by  which  the 

limer  was  held 
Libard,  leopard,  70 


GLOSSARY 


291 


Liff,  life,  31 

Liflode,  LYVELODE,livelihood, 
59 

Ligging,  lygging,  lair,  resting- 
place,  24,  71,  149,  191 

Lippis,  lips 

LlTERE,  litter 

LOGGES,  lodges,  190 

Londe,  land,  75 

Louen,  love 

Loupes  corryners  {loup  cer- 
viers),  lynx  ;  occasionally  it 
was  probably  applied  to  the 
wolverine,  70 

Lowre,  laugh,  81 

Luce,  pike,  113 

Lyff,  life 

Lymer,  a  tracking  hound  on  a 
leash,3i,38,i52, 157,167-9,235 

Lymmes,  limbs 

Lymner,  lymerer,  limerer, 
man  who  leads  hounds  on  a 
leash,  148,  166,  235 

Lymnere,  used  both  for  man 
and  hound,  App. 

Lynsed,  linseed,  104 

Lyoun,  lion 

Lythis,  lightis,  lungs 

Lyven,  lyuen,  live 

Maistives,  mastif,  mastiff 

Maistris,  masters 

Malemort,  glanders,  96 

Malencolious,  melancholy 

Malice,  cunning,  34 

Mamewe,  mamunesre,  mam- 
eue,  mauewe,  mange,  90,  91 

MANESSETH,  threatening,  51 

Mannys,  man's,  151 

Marches,  district,  19 

Marie,  marrow 

Marrubium  album,  white 
horehound  {Marrubium  vul- 
gar e),  101 

Martryn,  martin,  73 

Mary  Magdalene  day,  July 
22nd,  26 


Mascle,  masche,  male,  67 

Mastin,  a  hound  used  for  boar- 
hunting,  a  mongrel 

Matere,  matter 

Mayned,  maimed,  bitten 

Mayntyn,  maintain 

Maystif,  mastif,  mestifis, 
MASTOWE,  mastiff,  118,  122, 
App. 

MAYSTRE,  MAISTRIE,  MAIS- 
TRICE,     MAYSTRY,     mastery, 

skill,  71,  107 
Meche,  big,  113 
Mede,  meadow,  163 
Medle,  medel,  mix,  91 
MENE,  lesser,  small,  128 
Menée,  mennee,  note  sounded 

on  a  horn  ;  also  the  baying  of 

a  hound  hunting,  171,  179 
Meng,  menge,  mingle,  102 
Merrein,  the   main  beam   of 

a  stag's  antlers,  App. 
Mervaile,  marvel 
Merveiliost,  most  marvellous, 

181 
Merveillous,   merueylous, 

marvellous 
Mestifis,  mastifs,  118,  122 
Metis,  meats 
Metyng,      metyngis,     meet, 

meeting,  148 
Metynge,  metyng,  feeding  or 

pasture    of  deer,    9,    25,   34, 

152 
Meue,     mew,    meve,    move, 

start,  shed,  26,  42,  166 
Meule,  mule,  burr,  part    of 

the  antler,  App. 
Meute,  pack  of  hounds 
Mevethe,   meweth,    to    mew, 

casts  or  sheds.     See  Meue 
Mews,  house  for  hawks 
Modir,  mother,  105 
Modirwort,  motherwort  (Leo- 

nurus  cardiaca),  10 1 
MONYTHE,     MONETH,      MONE- 

thenys,  month,  27 


292 


GLOSSARY 


Moote,  mote,  a  note  or  horn 
signal,  App. 

MORFOUND,  MORFOND,  to  Catch 

cold,  glanders,  124 
MORNYNGIS,  morning,  7 
MORSUS   galline,  chickweed, 

101 
Mort,  a  note  sounded  on  the 

horn  at  the  death  of  the  hart 
MOSEL,  MOSELLE,  muzzle,  77 
Mote,  MOOTE,  a  note  sounded 

on  the  horn,  168,  185 
Motying,  moving,  150 
MOUNTENANCE,    MOUNTANCE, 

extent  of,  as  far  as,  21,  101 

Moustenesse,  moisture,  124 
Mow,  mowe,  mowen,  to  have 

power,  to  be  able,  97,  178 
Mowse,  burr  of  an  antler 
Mue,    mew,   shed    antlers,    or 

feathers,  molt.     See  Meue 
Mule,  meule,  burr  of  a  stag's 

antler,  141  . 
Mute,  meute,  a  pack  of  hounds 
Myche,  the  assibulated  form  of 

mitkel,  mikl,  great,  much,  41 
Myddes,  midst 
Myddil,  middle 
Mynde,  memory,  2 
Mysiugen,  misjudge,  29 

Nail,  name  given  to  a  disease 

in    dogs'    eyes,    now    called 

Pterygium,  94 
Nartheless,         natheless, 

nevertheless,  149 
Natyuite,  nativity 
Nedel,  needle,  61 
Nekys,  neke,  neckyd,  neck, 

necked,  App. 
Nemeth,  taketh,  75 
Nempe,  name,  165 
Neres,  kidneys 
Nesche,  neyssh,  nessh,  soft, 

tender,  moist,  52,  130,  131 
Nethir,  nether,  lower 
Nettelis,  nettles,  89,  101 


NEWLICH,  newly,  freshly 
Nombles,  nomblis,  part  of  the 

stag's  intestines,  App. 
NOONE,  no  more 
NOORCHE,     NORSHE,    NORSSH, 

nourish,  to  bring  up,  to  edu- 
cate, 56,  58,  80 

NOOSETHERLIS,      NOSETHREL- 

LES,  nostrils,  96,  105 
Nurture,  bringing  up,  30 
Notis,  nuts,  91 
Nough,  nigh 

Noyaunce,  annoyance,  163 
Nyme,  to  take,  to  hold 

Okis,  oaks,  144 

Olyff,  olive,  90,  102 

Onys,  once,  156 

Oo,  OON,  one,  17 

Opene,  opyn,  open  (of  hounds 

to  give  tongue),  108,  155 
Or,  ere,  before,  17 
ORDEYNE,  ordain 
Orped,  brave,  valiant,  107 
Os,  the  dew-claws  of  the  stag 

and  hind,  App. 
Oscorbin  (os  corbin),  a  small 

bone  in  the  stag's  body  given 

to  the  crows,  App. 

OSTORACES   CALAMYNT,   Storax 

or  resin,  96 
Otyr,  otere,  otter,  72-4 
Ouerj awes,  upper  jaws,  176 
Ouersette,  overcome,  60,  66 
OUERWHERTE,  athwart,  87 
Ourshette,  overshoot,  159 
Ouyr,  over 

OWETH,  OWEN,  OUght 

OWRERS,  harriers 
Oye,  eye,  157 
Oyle,  oil,  102 

Paas,  piz,  chest,  T14 
Paas,  pace,  to  walk  slowly 
Pace,  slot,  track  of  stag,  132 
Pamed,  palmated 
Parasceve,  Parasseue,  Good 
Friday 


GLOSSARY 


293 


Parfiters,parfitors,parfit- 

OURS,  PARFYTEIROS,  the  third 

or  last  relay  of  hounds  7,  10 
Partel,  a  part  of  portion 
Parteyneth,  appertained 
Partie,  part 

Pase,  pace,  to  step  slowly,  130 
Pearls,   the    excrescences    on 

the  stag's  antlers,  App. 
Pece,  piece 

Peechtre,  peochetre,  peach- 
tree,  102 
Pel,  Y x.  peau,  skin 
Percel,  parsley,  101 
Perche,  the  main  beam  of  the 

stag's  antler,  App. 
Perfite,    perfeet,     perfit, 

perfect  ;  also  note  sounded  on 

the  horn,  174 
Peritorie,        wall       pellitory 

(Parie  taria),  10 1 
Pesen,  peas,  26 
Peseth,  paceth,  149 
Peyn,  pain 
Pierrures,    "pearls"    or    ex- 

crescencesonthe  stag'santlers 
Pilches,  pelisse,  a  coat  of  skin 

or  fur,  63 
Playn    contre,    clear    open  1 

country,  19,  65 
Playnes,  plains 
Playstire,  plaster 
Plecke,  plek,  pleck,  plecca,  J 

piece  of  ground,  place,  183 
Pleyn,    pleyneth,   complain, 

lament,  51 
Pleyn,  playneth,  pleignen,  ! 

Fr.  pleigner,  complain,  lament  i 
Pgtntyng,    pointing,    track  of 

hare 
Polcattes,  polecats,  73 
Pomeled,     mottled,     dappled, 

spotted,  45 
Poonde,  POON,  pond 
POORT,  parts,  behaviour,  man- 
ners, 4 
Popy,  puppy 


Porche.    See  Perche 

POUERE,  POUER,  power,  164 

Pouture,  keep,  food,  used  in 
connection  with  hounds 

POYNTED,  painted 

Preef,  proof,  88 

Prees,  press,  crowd,  118 

Preuyd,  proved,  90 

Preuyli,  priuyli,  privily,  149 

Price,  prise,  priée,  take, 
capture 

Pricket,  priket,  the  fallow 
buck  in  his  second  year,  App. 

Prik,  prick,  to  hunt,  116 

Prikherid  curris,  rough- 
coated  curs,  App. 

Prikkyng,  pricking,  footprint 
of  hare,  App. 

Prime,  noon  (hie prime), midday 

Prise,  prize,  pryce,  a  horn 
signal  blown  in  France  for  the 
buck,  in  England  for  the  hart 
and  buck  after  the  kill,  175 

Prive,  tame 

Procatours,  proctors,  195 

PROFITENESS,  perfectness,  2 

PULEGRUN,pennyroyal(M£;///w 
ftulegium),  20 

PULLETH,  POILETH,  take  the 
hair  off,  Yx.fioiler,  90 

PURSNETTIS,  purse-nets,  67 

Purueaunce,  perseverance,  80 

PUTTES,  pits 

Pyche,  pitch 

Pyles,  piles,  the  skin  of  the 
boar,  wolf,  and  smaller  animals 

Pynsours,  pincers,  98 

QUALES,  quails,  119 

Quarry,  the  reward  given  to 

the  hounds.   See  Curée,  App. 
Quat,    couched,    lying     down, 

used  for  deer,  172 
Quattell,  to  quat,  to  squat, 

to  crouch,  to  lie  down,  App. 

QUESTY,     QUEST,     to     hunt,     to 

give  tongue,  no,  130,  155 


294 


GLOSSARY 


QUYERE,QUYRRE,QUIR,QUARE, 
curée,  quarry  for  hounds, 
reward,  App. 

QUYK,    EUELIS,   QUICKEVIL,   a 

disease  of  hounds 
QUYRRCIS,    reward    given     to 

hounds.    See  Curée,  App. 

Racches,  hounds,  3,  74,  167 

Rage,  madness 

Ragerunet,  ragemuet,  dumb 

madness,  86 
Rascaile,      rascayle,     ras- 
kaile,   lean  deer  ;  any  deer 
under  ten  was  usually  called 
rascal,  7,  25,  150,  193 
Raveyn,  prey,  rapine,  57,  66 
Real,  reall,  a  tine  (in  France, 

the  bay)  on  the  stag's  antler 
Reame,  reaume,  realm,  78 
Rear  to,   to  dislodge  a  wild 

boar,  App. 
Rebelly,  rebellious,  unruly,  191 
Rechase,  recheat,  sound  a  note 
on  the  horn,  to  call  back  the 
hounds   by   sound    of    horn, 
also  to  put  them  on  the  right 
scent,  168,  178,  191-8,  App. 
Reche,  to  reck,  to  care,  57,  131 
Recheless,  reckless 
RECOPES,  recoupling,  179 
REFRAiED,REFREiDE,refrected, 

chilled,  cooled,  47,  99 
Reies,  nets,  App. 
Relaies,  relays  (of  hounds),  165 
Releved,  Fr.  relever,  said   of 
the  hare  rising  from  her  form 
to  go  to  her  pasture,  14,  183 
Relie,  relye,  rally,  167 
Remeuye,  remeyid,  removed 
Rennen,  rained,  rains 
Rennyng,  renneth,  running 
Renouet,  renovel,  Fr.  renou- 
veler^ to  renew,  48 
Resceyued,  received 
RESEEYUOUR,  receiver,  a  grey- 
hound in  front  of  deer,  198 


Reseityng,  reseating 
Resouns,  resouns,    resons, 

reasons,  6 
RESTIF,  quiet,  restive,  unwilling 

to  go    or    to    move  forward, 

109 
Restreyed,    restrained,    held 

back,  109 
Retreyed,  retrieved,  29 
Reuere,  revere,  river 
Rewe,  rue,  90 
Rewe,  row,  193 
Rewle,  rule,  55 
Rewme,  Fr.  rhume,  a  cold,  96 
Reyne,  rain,  21 
Reyndere,  reindeer 
Reyson,reyse,  raising,  raise,  29 
Rialle,  rial,  royal,  also  tine 

of  stag's  antlers,  28,  140 

RlDINGTIME,  REDENGTIME, 

bucking    time    of   the    hare, 

20 
Rig,  ragge,  backbone,  App. 
Riot,  74,  App. 
Roches,  roj 
Rodes,  rods 
ROTELYNG,  rattling,  162 
ROUNGETH,  Fr.  ronger,  chews 

the  cud,  181,  App. 
Rouse    to,  rowze,  rouse,  to 

dislodge  buck  or  doe,  App. 
Rout,  a  number  of  wolves,  62 
Routes,  synonymous  with  slot, 

line  of  deer,  132 
Royal,  a  tine,  sometimes  the 

trez  tine  {see  Rialle),  28,  140 
Ruettis,  horn  or  trumpet,  128 
RUSYNG,  rusing,  31,45,  173 
Rutsomtime,  rutson,  rutte, 

rutting  time  of  deer,  24,  109 
Ryges,  back,  haunches,  17 
Ryghtes,  rights,  a  stag's  rights, 

three  lower  tines  of  antlers  ; 

a  hound  was  in  his  "  rights  " 

when  hunting  line,  174 
Ryot,  noise,  121 
Ryuere,  reuere,  river,  yy 


GLOSSARY 


295 


SAYNOLFES,SPAYNELS,spaniels, 
119 

Scantilonn,  measure,  150,  165 
SCOMBRE,  SCOMBERE  (stercoro 

in    MS.    Bod.    546),    voiding 

excrements,  100,  127 
Scomfited,  discomfited,  82 
Seat,  the  form  of  a  hare,  16 
Seche,  seek 

Sechyng,  sekyng,  seeking,  1 10 
Seegh,  seghe,  saw,  13 
Seeld,  seelden,  seldom,  181 
Selidoyn,  celandine,  94 
Semblaunt,  semblance,  pre- 
tence, 16 
Semble,  assembly  or  meet,  9 
SEMOLY,  seemly,  75 
Sengler,  wild  boar  {Sanglier) 
Sens,  incense,  96 
Sentyn,  scent 
Serchyng,  searching,  6,  29 
Sergeauntis,  sergeants,  165 
Sesounn,     sesoun,     seson, 

season,  29 
Sesours,  seizers,  114,  117 
Sette,  set,  place,  part  of  forest 

round     which    "stables"    or 

stations  of  men  and  hounds 

were  placed,  149,  189 
Sewe,     sue,    Fr.     suir,    hunt, 

pursue,  150,  161 
Sewet,  suet,  fat  of  deer 
Sewre,  swear 
Seyn,  say,  see 
Shap,  shape 
Shapon,  shaped 
Sheeld,  shield,  shoulder  of  a 

boar,  49 
Sheellen,  shall 
Sheerde,  cut,  wound,  99 
Shent,  shamed,  disgraced,  79 
Sikerli,  securely,  159 
Singular,  the  wild  boar  when 

he  leaves  the  sounder,  App. 
Skirtis,  skyrtis,  the  skin  and 

tissue  surroundingthe  stomach 
Skulk,  a  number  of  foxes,  App. 


Slawthe,  sloth,  5 

SLOUGH,  lower  part  of  the  heart 

Slug-hound,  a   sleuth-hound, 

a  track  hound,  App. 
Slyke,  slick,  sleek  or  smooth,  44 
Smet,  smytten,  smitten,  192 
Snawe,  snow 

Soar,  a  buck  in  his  fourth  year 
SOEPOL,  wild  thyme  {Thymus 

serpyllum),  20 
SOILE,  SOULE,  SOUILLE,  wallow- 
ing  pool,  soil   or  mud  ;    "  to 
soil"  means  when  a  deer  or 
wild  boar  takes  to  water  or 
wallows  in  it,  37,  50,  144 
Soiourne,  soiourn,  soiour- 
nying,  sojorn,  sojourn,  to 
remain,  98 
Solere,  upper  chamber,  126 
Somedele,  somewhat 
Somere,  SOMER,  summer,  45 
Sone,  soon 
Sonne,  sunne,  sun,  9 
Sonne,  soune,  sound 
Sopere,  soper,  supper,  180 
SOPPE,SOPPERS,  herd  of  deer,  25 
SORRELL,  a  buck  in  his  third  year 
Sotelly,  subtlety,  cleverly 

SOTIL,  SOTILLE,  SOTILTE, 
subtle,  clever,  67,  80,  95 

Soule,  soile,  alone,  168 

Sounder,  soundre,  sundre, 
a  herd  of  wild  boars,  53,  143 

Sour,  stag  of  fourth  year,  the 
colour  of  a  deer's  hide  ;  ac- 
cording to  Roquefort,  a  herd 
of  swine,  App. 

SOUSSE,  oxide  of  zinc,  95 

Souz-real,  Souch-real,  sur- 
ryal,  sur- antler,  a  tine  of  the 
stag's  head,  140,  177,  App. 

Sowle,  soul,  12 

Spainel,  spaynels,  spaniel 

SPARHAUKE,  sparrowhawk,  114 

Spatell,  spittle,  92 

Spay,  to  kill  a  deer  with  a  sword 
10, 174, 258;to  castrate, 84,258 


296 


GLOSSARY 


Spayard,  spayde,  spayer, 
spycard,  the  stag  in  his  third 
year,  App. 

Spaynel,  spaniel,  1 19 

Speies,  spires,  young  wood,  157 

Spires,  spoyes,  stalks,  young 
wood  ;  thick  spires  means 
thick  wood,  65,  118 

SPITOUS,  despiteful,  115 

Spraintes,  spraytyng,  excre- 
ments of  the  otter,  73,  139 

Springol,  springald,  spring- 
old,  SPRINGALL,  siege  engine 
to  throw  stones  or  balks  of 
timber,  23 

Stable,  stablys,  Fr.  establie, 
a  post  or  station  of  huntsmen 
and  hounds,  188 

Staggart,  the  stag  in  his  fourth 
year,  29,  131 

Stalk,  to  go  softly,  creep, 
"Stalk  the  deer  full  still" 
(used  by  John  Lydgate,  about 
1430) 

Stall,  to  corner,  to  bring  to 
bay,  to  stand  still,  153 

Stanc,  stank,  stanges, 
STANGKES,  Fr.  esta?ic,  pool, 
tank,  pond,  32,  72 

Steppis,  steps,  footprint  of 
deer,  73,  137 

Stere,  stir,  91 

Stert,  stirt,  start 

Stinte,  stynte,  to  stop,  to 
blow  a  stint — i.e.  to  stop  or 
check  the  hounds,  a  false  scent, 
check,  19,  165 

Stone-BOW,  Fr.  arc-à-pierre,  a 
kind  of  crossbow 

Stoonys,  stones,  143 

Stordy,  estoraie,  giddy,  116 

Stoupen,  stoop 

Strake,  to  blow,  178 

Strangle,  straggle,  188 

Stranling,  stranlyn,  squirrel 

Stratere,  straighter 

Str aught,  straight,  128 


Strenge,  strength,  strong- 
hold, thick  woods,  16,  1 18,  1 56 

Strengeste,  strongest 

Strepid,  to  strip 

Streynour,  strainer 

Streynt,  strain,  progeny  or 
breed 

Stripid,  stripped,  term  to  de- 
note skinning  of  hare,  wild 
boar,  and  wolf,  App. 

Stroke,  strake,  or  stuke, 
to  sound  a  note  on  a  hunting- 
horn,  52 

Strong,  said  of  woods  and 
coverts,  thick,  dense,  25 

Sue,  to  seek,  to  hunt,  161 

Suers,  followers 

Suet,  the  fat  of  the  red-deer 
and  fallow-deer 

Suete,  sweet,  19 

Sugre,  sugar 

Surantler,  a  tine,  generally 
the  bay 

SUR-ROYAL,the  surroyal  tine,  28 

Sure  batyd  (of  hounds'  feet), 
battered,  bruised  from  over 
running,  98 

Susrial,  surroyal  tine 

Stynt,  at  fault  ;  to  stop 

Suyte,  suite,  following 

Swef,  a  hunting  cry,  meaning 
gently  or  softly,  182 

Swerde,  sword,  1 1 

SwoOR,  swore 

Swoot,  SWOTE,  sweat 

Sylvestres,  beasts  of  venery — 
i.e.  red-deer,  hare,  boar,  and 
wolf,  App. 

Synnes,  sins,  7 

Synowes,  synewes,  sinews 

Sythes,  times 

TACCHES,    habits,    also    spots, 

markings,  121 
Taloun,  talon,  heel,  130,  131 
Tawed,  a  kind  of  tanning,  pre- 
paration of  white  leathers,  63 


GLOSSARY 


297 


Tawne,  tan,  tawny,  105 

Taylyd,  tailed 

Teaser,  teazer,  tesours,  a 

small   hound    that    "teases" 

forth  the  game  in  coverts,  189 
Teg,  the  fallow  doe  in  her  second 

year 
Tent,  tended,  cared  for,  103 
Tercelle,  tiercel,  the  male 

of  any  species  of  hawk,  1 19 
Terer,  teerors,  terrier,  4 
Terpse,  to  poise  an  arrow  for 

shooting 
Terryers,  terriers,  4 
Teste,  head  or  antlers  {tête) 
Teyntes,  touches,  65 
Thenderleggis,  hind  legs 
Thenkyngis,  thinking,  75 
Thennes,  thence 
Thidere,  thither 
Toches,  teeth,  50,  56 
Togadere,  TOGIDRE,  together 
Tokenys,  tokens,  86 
TOSSHES,  tusks 
Tounge,  TOONG,  tongue 
TOURE,  tower,  77 
Towailles,  towels,  164 
Townge,  tunge,  tongue 
Trace,  track  or  footprint  of  an 

animal,  9,  73,  130,  137 
Trauaille,     travayle,     Fr. 

travaille^  work,  labour,  54,  93 
Tredeles,  excrements  of  otter, 

73 
Trenchour,  trencher,  174 
TRESTES,  tryst,  trist,  190 
Tresteth,  trusteth,  49 
Treu,  trewe,  true,  faithful 
Trip,  a  herd  of  tame  swine,  53 
Trochis,  troches,  the  tines 

"on  top,"  28,  135,  140 
Trodes,  trod 

Troweth,  believes  or  knows 
Trustre,  tryst,  118 
Twies,  twyes,  twice,  82 
Twin,  between 
Twygges,  twigs,  22 
Tyme,  season 


TYNDES,  TYNYS,  tines,  132,  142 
Tysane,  a  medicinal  tea,  11 

Umbicast,  to  cast  round,  151 
Undirnethe,  underneath 
Undoing,  dressing  of  a  deer 
Undoon,  undone,  to  cut  up 
Unneth,  scarcely,  80 
Unsicker,  uncertain 
Unthende,  unsuccessful 
Unwayssh,  unwashed 
Unwp:xid,  unwaxed 
Unyoyne,  unjoin,  97 
Uprear  TO,  finding  of  the  hart 
buck,  and  boar  with  the  limer 
Usyn,  use 

Vanchasours,  vanchasers, 
the  relay  of  hounds  that  comes 
first,  7,  10 

Vannchace,  the  first  in  the 
chase,  7,  10 

Vauntellay,  yauntlay, 
vnlay,  part  of  the  pack  held 
in  reserve,  when  uncoupled 
on  the  line  of  the  stag  before 
the  hounds  already  hunting 
had  passed,  169,  172 

Veel,  calf,  used  sometimes  for 
the  stag  in  his  first  year, 
App. 

Veline,  a  horn  signal,  App. 

Veltraga,  veltrarius,  a 
hound,  an  alaunt,  App. 

Vent  to,  said  of  an  otter  when 
it  comes  to  surface  of  water 
for  air  ;  also  to  empty,  to  cast 
excrements,  App. 

Ventrers,  ventreres,  116,  117 

VeNyin,  venom 

Verfull,  a  glassful,  101 

Verrey,  truly,  true,  75,  105 

Vertegrece,  vertegres,  ver- 
digris, 91 

Vesteing,  investigating,  look- 
ing, 151 

Veutreres,  veautre,  boar- 
hound 


298 


GLOSSARY 


Veyn,  vein 

VlSHiTETH,voiding  excrements, 
66 

Vmblis,  umbles 

Vndirtakyng,  undertaking 

VNDYRSTONDYNG,  understand- 
ing 

Vngles,  bugles,  128 

Vnnanys,  onions,  102 

Voide,  voyde,  leave,  go  away, 
empty,  51,  191 

VoiDEN,  to  purge,  61 

Vois,  voys,  voice,  66 

Voynes,  veins,  99 

WAGGYNG,  excrements  of  foxes, 

139 

Waies,  way,  track 

Walouyng,  wallowing,  146 

Waltrer,  welter 

Wanlace,  put  up  game,  122 

Waraunt,  warrant,  save,  31 

Warderobe,  werdrobe,  ex- 
crement of  badgers,  139 

Ware,  aware  ;  also  war,  beware 

Wareyn,  wareyns,  warren,  66 

Warly,  warily 

Wayssh,  wash 

Wedir,  weather,  8 

Wedis,  weeds 

Welex,  grow,  163 

Welle,  wolle,  wool 

Welspedde,  well  sped 

Wene,  know,  to  think 

Wered,  worn 

Werkis,  works,  5 

Wervolf,  werwolfe,  a  man- 
eating  wolf,  59 

Wery,  weary,  107 

Wete,  to  wit,  to  know,  137 

Wex,  wax,  to  grow,  56,  85 

Wexed,  waxed,  128 

Wexing,  wexyn,  growth,  26 

Weytinge,  waiting 

Wheder,  whether 

WHITLY,  whiter 

Wif,  wift,  wife,  75 

Wode,  wood 


WODEMANNYS,  woodman's,  129 
Wodmanly,  woodmanly,  176 
Wold,  wish  or  would 
Wones,  dwellings 

WONNED,    WOUNED,    wont,   ac- 

customed,  85 
Woode,  wode,  mad,  61,  85 
Woodness,  madness,  85 
Woote,  know,  43 
Worth  up,  on  horse,  mount 

on  horseback,  175 
Wortes,  vegetables,  roots,  1 1 
Woxen,  part  of  verb  wax,  to 

grow 
Wreech,wreche,  wretched, 5  5 
Wrethis,  wreaths,  133 
Wroot,  to  root,  48,  144 
Wrooth,  wrath,  49 
WRYTENG,  writing,  200 
WURTHYNES,  worthiness 
Wyleli,  wililiche,  wilily,  31 
Wymmen,  women,  200 
Wynde,  wind,  scent,  smell 
Wyndeth,  winds,  scents,  17 

Ybrend,  burnt,  dry,  134 

Yede,  went,  150,  166 

Yeman,  yeoman,  148,  165 

Yeue,  give,  no 

Yfeted,  made,  well  or  evil 
shaped 

Yflanked,  a  species  of  mad- 
ness in  hounds,  "  lank  mad- 
ness," 88 

Yfore,  therefore 

Yfounde,  found,  164 

Ygote,  begotten,  bred 

Yhewe,  hewn,  152 

Ylaft,  left,  178 

Ymakyd,  made 

Ynowe,  ynow,  enough,  1 

YONGIS,  young 

YOULE,  howl 

YPOCRAS,  Hippocras,  n 

Ypoticaries,  apothecary,  84, 
101 

Yrest,  rested,  136 

Ythowzt,  thought  of 


INDEX 


ACQUILLEZ,  20I 

Affeted,  27,  201 
Agincourt,  xi 
Agrimony,  100 
Aiguilles  or  needles,  61 
Alauntes,  3,  1 16-18,  202 
Antlers  of  the  hart,  26,    140-3, 

203-4 
Appollo,  King  of  Lyonnys,  76 
Aquitaine,  xii 
Assembly,  7,  9,  150,  163-4 
Auberey  of  Montdidier,  80 
Aumarle,  Duke  of,  xi 

Badger,  3,  68-9 

Badminton  Library,  xvi 

Baillie-Grohi 

Baiting,  118 

Baldric,  128 

Beaumont,  167,  182,  184 

Bellowing  time,  160,  162 

Bercelet,  204 

Berners,      or     attendants      on 

hounds,  165-9,  172,  174,  205 
Bisshunters,  furhunters,  74,  206 
Blaine,  xvi 
Blenches,     trick,    deceit,     159, 

206. 
Boar,  wild — see  Wild  boar 
Boce,  hump,  206 
Bodleian  Library,  xvii 
Boughs,  206 
Brache,  22 
Broches,  45 
Brocket,  130 
Buck,  3,  38-40,  109 


Burnish,  28 
Burr,  141 
Burrows,  68 
Butchers'  hounds,  118 

Caboche,  176 

Camomile,  95 

Canker,  the  cure  for,  99 

Cat,  wild — see  Wild  cat 

Cecil's  "  Records  of  the  Chase," 

xvi 
Celandine,  94 
Chacechiens,  148 
Change,  31,  in,  207 
Chase,  3 

Chase,  beasts  of  the,  3 
Chaucer,  2 
Claudoneus,  76 
Coney,  74 

Co?isolida  major,  98 
Consolida  ?nino?\  98 
Contreongle,  150 
Cotton  MS.,  British  Mus.,  xii 
Couchers  (setters),  120 
Couples,  126 
Curée,  7,   10,  29,  52,    173,   193, 

208-209 

DALZIEL,  xvi 
D'Aumale;  Due,  xvii 
Deer  tithes,  195 

Dryden,   Sir  Henry,   xvii,  Ap- 
pendix 


Encorne,  174 
Envoiced,  170 


299 


3oo 


INDEX 


Ergots  of  the  hart,  130,  169 
Excrements — see  Fumes 

F.     G.     de — see     Gaston     de 

Foix 
Farrow,  giving  birth  to  young 

pigs,  47,  48,  68 
Fees  of  huntsmen,  198 
Fence  month,  210 
Ferrets,  72 
Fewte,  track,  210 
Fewterer,  129,  211 
Finders,  7,  9,  165 
Foils,  32 
Foix,  Gaston  de— sec  Gaston  de 

Foix 
Forlonge,  a  horn  signal,  212 
Fownes,  Thomas,  first  pack  of    I   Holy  Cross,  Feast  of,  29,  49 

foxhounds     established     by,    :    Holy  Rood,  23 

213 
Fox,  the,  3,  64-67,  68,  212 
Foxhounds,  first  pack  of,  213 
Fray,  135 
Fraying-post,  214 
Froissart,  xii 
Fues,  track,   10,   31,    III,   158, 

168,  214 
Fuite,  track,  210 
Fumes,  9,  17,  29,  39,  73,  133, 

209-210 


j  Harbour,  9,  38 

I   Hardel,  45,  218 

I    Hare,  3,  14-22,  109,  181-7,  219- 

222 
I    Hare  pipes,  22 

Haronblast,  27 

Harness,  30,  60,  222 

Harrier,  ill,  196,  222-4 

Hart,  3,  7,  23-37,  109,  140,  148- 
151,  165,  191-9,224-7 

Harting,  J.  E.,  xvii 

Hausse-piez,  the,  61 

Hawks,  1,  119,  120 

Hayes  or  haia,  67,  74 

Henry  IV.,  King  of  England, 
xi,  1 

Hippocras,  1 


Horn,  hunter's,  4,  128,  227 

Horse,  69,  95 

Hound,  1,  3,30,  31,75-84,85- 

104,  105-112 
Hunter,  4,  8,  123 
Hunting    cries,    150,    166-180, 

181-7,  191,  229  ;  music,  168, 

178,       191-9,     231-4,      244; 

seasons,  253 


Fute,  track,  210 

Garlic,  89 

aston  d 

203,  and  App. 
Gathering — see  Assembly 
Gins,  30 

Gladness  or  glade,  214 
Grease  or  fat  of  game,  25,  30, 

36,  69,  214 
Grease  time,  215 
Greyhound,  the,  3,  24,  30,  45, 

59,  62,  65,  70,  no,  1 1 3-1 15, 

189,  197,  216-8 
Grinders,  50 
Guienne,  xxi,  3 
Guyenne  loup  cefviers,  70 


Idleness,  the  foundation  of  all 

evil,  5 
lllocques,  234 
Imagination,  5 
Iris,  the,  93 

Jopeye,  to  holloa  to  the  hounds, 
171,234 

Kenettes,  small  hounds,  ill, 

235 
Kennel,  4,  125 
Kids,  42,  45 

Kindles  of  the  hare,  20,  21 
King,  hunting  of  the,  188-199 

Langley,  Edmund  of,  xvi 
Latimer,  167 


INDEX 


301 


Lesses,  52 

Leverettes  or  kindles,  20,  21 

Ligging,  a  bed,  a  lair,  24,  71, 

235 
Lilies,   medicinal  qualities    of, 

102 
Limer,  a  scenting  hound,  31,  38, 

152,  157,  161,  167-9,  235-7 
Limerer,  150 
Loup  cerviers,  70 
Lymer— see  Limer 

Madness  in  the  hound,  85,  86, 

237 
Makary  slays  Auberey  of  Mont- 

didier,  81 
Mallows,  102 

Mange  in  the  hound,  90,  91 
Marten,  73 
Master  of  Game,   xi-xix,  xxiv, 

1,  2,  150,  163,  165,  175,  188 
Master  of  Herthounds,  198 
Mastiff,  3,  122,  204,  239-242 
Melbourne,  William,  7^ 
Menée,  the,  240-2 
Metynge,  or  feeding,  242 
Meute,  242 
Mew,  to  shed,  243 
Milbourne,  73 
Moot  or  mote,  179 
Mort  or  death,  the,  197 
Mortimers,  the,  xii 
Motherwort,  101 
Move,  to  start  a  hare,  243 
Muse  or  meuse,  243 

Needles,  61 
Nets,  30,  67,  73 
Numbles,  243 

Otter,  3,  72-74,  244 

Parfet,  the,  174,  244 
Parfitters,  7,  10,  245 
Parker,  189 
Partridge,  119 
Pennyroyal,  20 


Pevensey,  xii 

Phoebus,  Gaston,  Count  de  Foix 

— see  Gaston  de  Foix 
Pomeled,  spotted,  45,  246 
Prise,  the,  197 
Pterygium,  94 

Quail,  119 
Quarry,  127,  136 
Quest,  9,  130, 152,  154, 155,  156, 
157,  163 

Rabies — see  Madness 
Raches,  scenting-hounds,  3,  74, 

246,  250-3 
Rascal,  7,  25,  150,  193 
Relays,  7 
Resceyuour    or   receiver,     198, 

247 
Riot,  74,  249 
Roebuck,  41-5,  250 
Roosevelt,  Th.,  xviii,  xix-xxix 
Roy  Modus,  202,  203,  App. 
Royals  (antlers),  28 
Rue,  96 
Ruets,  128 

Running  hounds — see  Raches 
Rutting,  23,  36,  109,  160,  161 
Ryding  time,  20 

I   Scantillon,  a  measure,  9,  253 
I    Scotland,  120 

Scombre,  127 

Seasons  of  hunting,  253 

Seton,  103 

Setters,  120 

Seven  deadly  sins,  4 

Shakespeare,  xi 

Shaw,  Vero,  xvi 

Shirley  MS.,  200 

Snares,  257 

Sounder  or  herd  of  wild  swine, 

53 
Spain,  119 

Spaniel,  the,  3,  119-121,  257 
Spay,  to  kill,  10,  174,  258 
Spay,  to  castrate,  84,  258 


302 


INDEX 


Spraintes  of  otter,  73,  139 

Springole,  23 

Spurge,  48 

Squire,  a  companion  of  the  hart, 

26 
Stable-stand,  188,  258 
Staggard,  29,  131 
Stankes,  or  pools,  33,  72,  260 
Stint,  19,  165,  171 
"Stinking  foot,''  211 
Storax,  96 
Strutt's  "Sports  and  Pastimes," 

xv  i 
Sur-royal  of  the  hart,  28 
"  Sweet  foot,"  211 

Tache,  260 

Tally  Ho,  etymology  and  use  of, 

209 
Talon,  130 
Taw,  to  make  hides  into  leather, 

63,  261 
Teazer,  198 
Terrier,  4 
Thyme,  wild,  20 
Trace,  footprint  of  deer,  9,  137, 

141 
Troche,  140 
Tryst,  118,  263 


Twety  and  Gifford,  201,  App. 
Twici,  William,  201,  App. 
Tysane,  11 

Valerian,  91 

Vanchasers,  7,  10 

Vauntlay,  to  cast  off,  169,  172 

Veltresj  263 

Venery,  beasts  of,  3,  52,  App. 

Vixen,  64 

Wagging,  139 

Wall  pellitory,  101 

Wanlace,  204,  264 

Wardrobe,  139 

Wer-wolves,  59 

Wild  boar,  3,  23,  46-53,  264 

Wild  cat  and  its  nature,  3,  70- 

71,  144,  265 
Wilton,  Lord,  xvi 
Wolf,  3,  54-63,  266 
Woodman's  craft,  176 
Worming  a  dog,  87 
Wright,  xv 
Wynn,  xvi 

Yeoman  at  horse,  165 
Yeomen  berners  on  foot,  165 
York,  Duke  of,  xi.,  xii 


Printed  by  Ballantynf,  Hanson  <5t>  Co. 
Edinburgh  &*  London 


ABRIDGED   PROSPECTUS   OF  THE 
FIRST  EDITION  OF 

THE 

MASTER  OF  GAME 

The   Oldest   'English  Book  on  Hunting 
By  EDWARD,  DUKE  OF  YORK 

EDITED    BY 

W.  A.  and  F.  BAILLIE-GROHMAN 

WITH    A    FOREWORD    BY 

THEODORE    ROOSEVELT 

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Extracts  from  Reviews 
in  the  English  and  American  Press 

The  Times.  —  "  '  The  Oldest  English  Book  on  *unting  '  renews  its  youth  in 
a  superb  and  massive  volume,  elaborately  illustrated  with  reproductions  of  the 
quaintest  of  mediaeval  drawings.  The  archaic  text  of  the  original  English  is 
happily  modernised  in  parallel  columns,  so  that  the  book  is  pleasant  and  easy 
reading.  The  elaborate  appendix  is  a  treasury  of  research  .  .  .  and  the  biblio- 
graphical catalogue  is  exhaustive." 

The  Fortnightly  Review. — "  A  great  classic  has  been  rescued  from  oblivion.  " 

The  Spectator. — "  There  can  be  no  hesitation  in  ascribing  to  the  magnifi- 
cently produced  volume  the  first  place  in  the  classics  of  hunting  of  an  earlier 
date  ever  given  to  the  public  of  our  day.  Some  of  the  attractions  of  this 
splendid  volume  .  .  .  the  illustrations  which  are  as  interesting  as  the  text  .  .  . 
absolutely  a  masterpiece  .  .  .  the  endurance  of  a  scholarly  and  rational  en- 
thusiasm in  the  history  and  pursuit  of  sport  has  its  monument  in  the  fine  work 
now  presented." 

The  Field. — "  In  many  respects  this  is  a  remarkable  book.  It  is  the  oldest 
treatise  on  hunting  in  the  English  language.  It  was  written  just  five  centuries 
ago,  and,  strange  to  say,  until  the  present  time  it  has  never  been  printed.  As 
the  treatise  is  from  many  points  of  view  of  considerable  importance,  one  would 
have  supposed  that  long  ere  this  some  enthusiastic  scholar  with  a  love  for  the 
chase  would  have  been  found  both  able  and  willing  to  undertake  its  publication. 
On  the  other  hand,  we  have  only  to  look  at  the  text  as  now  presented  to  us  to 
see  that  its  preparation  implies  an  enormous  amount  of  labour,  involving  a  col- 
lation of  the  various  MSS. ,  a  verbatim  et  literatim  transcription  of  the  text,  a 
modern  English  translation  in  parallel  columns,  critical  and  explanatory  notes, 
and  a  glossary  of  ancient  hunting  terms  ;  in  a  word,  a  thorough  mastery  of 
the  subject.  All  this  Mr.  and  Airs.  Baillie-Grohman  have  accomplished,  and 
indeed  much  more,  for  they  have  given  an  account  of  the  existing  MSS.  of  the 
work,  a  bibliography  of  the  mediaeval  literature  of  the  chase.  It  was  a  happy 
thought  to  illustrate  the  English  text  with  facsimiles  of  the  beautiful  miniatures 
which  adorn  the  French  original.  ...  In  the  way  of  reproduction  nothing  could 
be  better  .   .   .  the  tout  ensemble  is  a  model  of  good  taste  and  fine  printing." 

Baily's  Magazine.  —  "  This  beautiful  book  ...  in  such  sumptuous  form  .  .  . 
bears  evidence  of  wide  research  and  of  care  in  preparation.  The  sumptuous 
production  it  is  and  the  illuminations  from  old  MSS.  have  been  reproduced  as 
well  as  it  was  possible  to  reproduce  them." 

Land  and  Water.  —  "  This  is  really  an  extremely  interesting  book,  and  if  Mr. 
Baillie-Grohman  is  as  painstaking  and  accurate  with  his  rifle  as  he  is  with  his 
pen,  it  is  small  wonder  that  he  is  in  the  front  rank  of  contemporary  sportsmen.  " 

The  Standard. — "  Singularly  interesting  and  amusing  .  .  .  sumptuous  book 
...  an  immense  amount  of  bibliographical  information.  .  .  .  Mr.  Baillie- 
Grohman  is  a  hunter  of  world-wide  experience,  and  his  authority  will  be  generally 
recognised." 

Morning  Post.  —  "  Magnificent  folio  .  .  .  the  editors' notes  on  the  text  are 
full  of  far-sought  information,  and,  what  is  more,  are  delightfully  written.  .  .  . 
Happy  is  the  sportsman  and  scholar  who  has  a  copy  of  it." 

The  Country  Gentleman. — "  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baillie-Grohman  have  done  their 
work  as  editors  admirably  .  .  .  nothing  could  be  better  than  the  general  '  get- 
up  '  of  this  charming  volume." 

New  York  Herald.  —  "  Magnificent  edition  of  the  '  Master  of  Game,'  edited 
with  a  loving  care  that  makes  it  a  literary  marvel.  No  labour,  no  expense  has 
been  too  great  for  the  editors  of  this  truly  splendid  edition  of  a  singularly 
interesting  work." 

Chicago  Tribune.—"  Sumptuous  folio  of  the  first  importance  to  students  .  .  . 
it  must  ever  be  considered  a  classic  of  its  kind." 

The  Nation  (New  York). — "  One  can  hardly  speak  too  highly  of  the  loving 
and  enthusiastic  care  which  the  editors  have  manifested  in  preparing  the  work 
for  publication." 

2 


Webster  Family  Library  of  Veterinary  Medicine 
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